Standing Alone: The 151st Hunger Games
by Saltey
Summary: Standing Alone: The 151st Hunger games: A new era of games means a new set of rules and Head Gamemaker Syrio Flowers thinks he's come up with the perfect rule to bring new life to the quickly staling Hunger Games. No Alliances! Could your tribute survive these games? - Sequel to Reaping Day Promises.
1. Prologue

**Standing Alone: The 151****st**** Hunger games.**

**A new era of games means a new set of rules and Head Gamemaker Syrio Flowers thinks he's come up with the perfect rule to bring new life to the quickly staling Hunger Games. No Alliances! Could your tribute survive these games?**

Prologue:

"So Syrio, tell us all what you have planned for this year." asks Nina leaning towards the head Gamemaker revealing the full extent of her cleavage to the nervously sweating man.

"Well er.." he begins with a stutter pulling on his collar "I .. I mean we in Game HQ have decided that last year was a bit of a shambles."

"How so, I loved the games and the winner. No one saw that coming" Nina exclaims. _She's lying of course, _Syrio thinks_ the quell was a mess, a shambles in fact and what Nina would never admit – for she cared to keep her tongue – was the part she had played in that._

"It's a new era of games Nina" he tells her shuffling on his seat, trying to ignore the glare of the lights and the cameras "and a new era needs new rules. This is why we have decided that from this year onwards tributes will not be allowed to form alliances. This is a competition after all and we feel the districts need to remember this!" his voice becomes stronger as he speaks, he is proud of this idea after the disaster of last year, tributes falling for each other, alliances refusing to fight, tributes becoming dare he even think it friends! No it was not to be allowed.

"Wow that is a shock Syrio!" Nina exclaims she looks to the camera "Message me with your opinions on this dear viewers and don't forget to check in same time tomorrow for more details on what to expect for this year's games. Then of course tune in at 10am sharp for the first reapings on Saturday morning, I know I can't wait, can you?"

The camera cuts off and Syrio relaxes, Nina rolls her eyes;

"You sweat too much Syrio" she tells him "and honestly it's kind of disgusting" she stands up and storms off stage, yelling commands to avoxes and crew members as she goes.

_Consisted bitch_ Syrio thinks _If she even knew how close she'd been to destroying all our lives with her stupid stories last year she'd watch her tongue. _He sighs and stands lowly up from his chair smiling at a couple of crew members as he does so, there was still so much to arrange for this year's games and as usual so little time to do it in.

The next part of the day was the bit Syrio hated the most about being the head gamemaker talking to the President herself. But he studied himself with a shot of whiskey from the hip flask he always carried with him and politely knocked on the room to her chambers, in game HQ.

"I don't like this arena Syrio" she scolded before the man could even step into the room "It's rather dull" she was sat in a large chair overlooking a number of large screens each showing an image of Syrio's latest arena. Luckily for Syrio and the rest of his staff she didn't often sit in here to watch the games, choosing instead to watch the main feed at her palace or at parties, therefore this room was often left abandoned during the majority of the year.

"I think it's simplicity is its genius madam" Syrio replied surveying his arena on the screens behind her, "it'll provide less hiding places and encourage the tributes to fight"

"It'll be a quick games though"

"But a bloody one"

"True" the president stood up from her chair and turned to face Syrio who had begun to sweat again,

"I don't like you personally Syrio but your games are entertaining and your arenas interesting. If all keeps going like this you may have this job for a while longer" at this the president strode out of the room giving Syrio little chance to bow before she left.

Finally arriving back at his own office he sunk down on the large lush sofa and flicked his large screen to an image of his arena, he personally loved it, it was dark and broken, a playground of abandoned buildings set around a cross roads where he had set the cornucopia, a large rusting one to fit with his theme. His theme, his arena and yes Syrio loved every inch of it, as he knew did the pack of wild dogs he'd thrown in there the previous day with very little food to sustain them till the tributes arrived, oh this games was sure to be unforgettable.


	2. District One Reapings

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING:

Syrio Flowers POV:

"Sir!" The young Gamemaker outside Syrio's office looked as nervous as he had on his first day. This was, however, early in Justus' third year at Game HQ and the usually boisterous and irritating lad looked pale and worried. Usually Syrio would have put it down to him being hung over, but he knew for a fact that Justus' team had been in early. They were discussing the same issue everyone had been discussing since Syrio's announcement three days ago.

"Enter," sighed Syrio, looking up from another irate letter from a bookie demanding the reinstatement of the Career pack.

Justus entered and perched on the large lush sofa that spread in a curve around the centre of the room, facing towards the gamemaker's large screen. That way, Syrio could watch the games in peace when he wasn't in the control room, which unfortunately wasn't often.

"It's about the Career pack, sir."

"I guessed it would be. Who's arguing against it now? It better not be more damn bookies."

"It's the districts, sir. One and Two in particular are not happy."

Syrio dropped his face into his hands and sighed before composing himself. "No," He stated. "I made my ruling and it's final. If these Games should be the biggest disaster of all time, then I'll take the blame."

Syrio shuddered after he finished his speech, he hoped that he wasn't being recorded in here. He may have just dug his own grave.

"It'll be fine." He declared, waving his hands in the air. "Won't it Justus?"

The young gamesmaker didn't answer.

Jewel Platinum's POV:

District One was still in shock. No alliances! This meant the end of the career pack and the end of the alliance which had helped secure so many victories over the years.

I process the information slowly, taking in all of the possibilities, running all the scenarios until I secure my son Price a win. Yes, Price CAN win and this year will be the optimal year for him to win. New rules will mean confusion and tributes forgetting the rules, resulting in some deadly punishments. Without a career pack holding him back, Price will be able to win the games in his own time and in his own way.

"You've got that look again, mother." The voice of my son drifts in from behind me. He grins as he throws his school satchel across the training room floor and grabs a sword from the side of the room.

"What look?" I ask as I grab a similar looking sword and charge towards my son, aiming for his stomach.

"That 'my darling son is going to win the games and bring us honour' look." He replies calmly as he expertly deflects my every blow. "You're thinking that 'my son is going to volunteer next week and he's going to win the games without the need of a Career pack.'"

"Of course I was my boy" I reply with a smile as I continue to slash my sword at him. "You will do what I never got the chance to do and you will enter and win the games."

"Of course I will, Mother!" He replies as he disarms me and hovers his sword by my neck for a moment. "For you AND for our district."

"Good boy" I reply as he removes his sword. "I'll see you in a few hour. Practice your defensive stance, it's a bit wobbly." I say as I sheathe my sword and head out of the sparring room. I have a class to teach, an advanced knife throwing one to be precise, and those ten year olds can't be trusted alone with the weapons yet.

"Good evening, Mrs Platinum." Another young boy, Price's age, nods at me as he enters the room, Marble is Price's classmate and a fellow trainee. He's a good lad but I see him as ending up like me, never entering the games, and if he's not careful, fading away to be just one of the many who never made it to the arena.

"Good afternoon, Marble." I reply as I leave the two boys to practice, confident that Marble Opal poses no threat to my son's assured victory.

After teaching my class I watch my son train for a moment longer. He's joined by his other close friend Rubin. Rubin poses more of a threat than Marble. His family even takes out the Tesserae rations to ensure their one of their children a place in the games.

The longer I watch Price and his obviously superior skills, the more I am confident of his assured victory. Price can do it.

"Mother!" he exclaims, shocking me "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. You're not observant enough boy, I could have been waiting till you were unprepared and you could be dead right now."

"Be more observant." Price notes out loud, always learning and improving himself.

He bids farewell to his friends, knowing he'll be seeing a lot more of them over the following days. School is all but cancelled for those hoping to volunteer for the games. We head outside the training centre to our car, another luxury our family can afford and others can't. All thanks to Price's father and my darling husband. Peirce inherited his vineyard and our home from his father, who inherited it from his father, etc, etc.

I met my husband at the training centre but I always knew he never planned on volunteering, for him it was more of a social thing. Of course if he was reaped he would have to fight, but he wasn't, and then on the year of my eighteenth reaping (Peirce was twenty at the time) another girl shoved me to the floor and took my place in the games. She lost of course, I don't recall what killed her in the end, or her name come to think of it.

Once we arrive home Price jumps out of the car and greets Victor, our dog. Victor hold a long stick in his mouth as he enjoys the attention being lavished on him, he'll miss Price as he fights in the Games.

"Dinner's at Seven!" I call after my son and our dog as they run off into the distance. As I open the back door of our large farmhouse, I'm also greeted by an excitable male.

"Jewel, darling." My husband wraps his arms around me as if he hasn't seen me in weeks, not hours.

I kiss him on the nose and for a moment I am the happiest woman in the world.

Iunia Blanc's POV:

I look up from my paperwork to see the time. It's heading up to nine pm and Alexandria hasn't come to get me yet. What could that girl be up to now?

I scrape the chair away from my desk and lock up the weapon request forms in a safe before leaving my office and locking it up for the night. I hope that my girl, my protégée hasn't got her hands on another cat.

"Alexandria, darling, are you ready to leave?" I call down into one of the vast training rooms where she usually stays long after the others have all gone home.

"Soon, Iunia!" comes a reply in a sweet light voice. She always sounds so innocent, my Alexandria. No one would suspect the truth. "I'm almost there."

At the far end of the room in a box of light she stands, a pile of knives by her side.

"Ninety seven!" she whoops as a knife strikes the dummy across the room in the forehead. I can see it's already pierced with knives from it's ankles upwards, as are ten more dummies around the room. I smile.

"Ninety eight!" She calls, as another knife strikes the neck of the dummy.

"Ninety nine... One hundred!" The last two knives fly out of her right hand at the same time, striking into the dummy's eyes at the exact same moment.

She holds up her empty hands, showing that she is no longer armed. I walk over to her and begin to help her pull the knives from the dummies. Some of them are pretty well punctured and will probably have to be scrapped. Others we can salvage for the littlies to practice on.

"I'm going to volunteer next week." she tells me. She's been telling me this since she turned twelve.

"I think you should wait, you'll have a better chance once you're eighteen and I'll ensure you a place that year." I've been telling her this since she first told me of her plans.

"But imagine it Iunia, District One with such a young victor!" her excitement shines through but there's something deeper. I know because I have it too, a viciousness, a need to kill.

"I would recommend against it" I reply dead pan, Alexandria never listens to me anyway, she never has. Who knows how her parents coped with her while she was a young impulsive toddler. Before that day, before I took her as my own and saved her life.

"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my mother!" she shouts at me, a common insult and one she should know doesn't insult me ever.

"I know that Alexandria, but I am your guardian and your head trainer and I would suggest that you wait."

We lock up the knives and leave the training centre mostly in silence after that, I can see the determination in my young wards eyes. She wants to volunteer. She wants to win. To prove herself, I suppose, to show that she doesn't need me anymore.

We walk away from the centre and towards the victors village. It's a warm evening, so we walk slowly taking in the air as we go.

"Tell me of the arena again, Ionia," she asks eventually "Tell me what it felt like to kill."

"It felt beautiful, my dear." I smile as the memories flood back. She looks up to me, her excited green eyes shining in the evening light. "It felt like I was doing good in this world, cleansing it of the unworthy and proving my worth"

"I want to prove my worth too!" she pouts. "I know I can do it,"

"I know you can too, my darling," I reply, "but not this year. Okay?"

"No. I will volunteer and I will win"

We arrive home and Alexandria stomps up to her room. I smile, the girl may as well have been my own daughter. Strong and ruthless. Everyone told me I'd entered the games too early as well but they were wrong. Maybe I'm wrong too.

I leave a plate of meat and potatoes outside Alexandria's bedroom. It will be gone in the morning, I know. After eating my own dinner I retire to bed.

Thinking of my ward as I drift to sleep, it was inevitable that I dreamt of her that night. The night I chose her.

I had been out walking in the district, lamenting the standard of some of our trainees, when I'd heard a gunshot and a scream. A team of five peacekeepers had burst into her house in the night and had shot her family dead. They had deserved it of course, they were traitors. Their minds were full of dangerous thoughts and their house packed with Mockingjay propaganda.

I should have left that place. I should have distanced myself from the traitors and their child. But when the peacekeeper aimed at the screaming toddler, something in me stirred. Was it my regret of never starting a family? Or my need to finally save a life, not destroy one? I'll never know but I put my firm arm on the peacekeepers rifle.

"I'll take her." I told the man wielding the weapon. "She will be a great asset to our district and our country."

The man lowered his gun. I swept the girl up into my arms and rushed her back to my large empty house.

"What's your name?" I asked the little one as I lowered her onto my couch, unsure if I'd made a good decision.

"Alex" she squeaked. "Are you my mummy now?"

"No." I replied "I'm Ionia, and you're my darling Alexandria."

THE DAY OF THE REAPING:

Syrio Flowers POV:

I settle myself down for the long haul with a glass of Bloody Mary and my notepad in front of me. Others may choose to use the electronic tablets but I always preferred the more rustic approach, easier to destroy should the need come.

The reapings start as they always do with an excited pair of presenters in the studio chatting about last year's games. This year Nina and Marius are sat side by side, joking and laughing as the district four girl gets her comeuppance and expressing their shame that our victor Cane never got his epic final battle. They make it sound exciting but I know the truth: it was dull. Hopefully this year will be better.

After a while of idle chit chat the clock strikes 10:00 am and they cut to District One where, as usual, there is a party atmosphere.

Their district escorts is dancing on the stage as a local band plays some popular music.  
"Hello hello hello, District One!" she calls.

"Hello, Livilla!" they call in response.

"Are we ready to pick some tributes?" she calls bounding from one side of the stage to the other.

The crowd cheers. Of course they're ready! There is a supply of eager volunteers standing at the front of the crowd. It's a show for them, truly the games as they should be.

"Gentlemen first, I think" calls Liv, her curly blue hair blowing in the light breeze. "Marble Opal!" Marble emerges from the front of the crowd, from the volunteer section. Excellent, I think. A reaped champion, he's a strong boy and looks like he could be a favourite in the capitol.

"So Marble, are you ready to take on the Games?" calls Liv, sticking a microphone in the boy's face.

"No." he states. "I would like to be replaced." There is a gasp from the crowd.

"How old are you, boy?" Liv asks, hoping what we all do: that he plans on volunteering next year.

"Eighteen." he mutters. "I'd like to be replaced, please."

I am in shock, a eighteen year old trainee turning down the games. It's almost unheard of.

"I volunteer!" several voices shout out from the crowd and after a quick rush and scuffle, a single male reaches the stage.

"Your name?" asks Liv, still confused at Marble's reaction.

"Price Platinum." announces the boy and the crowd cheers. I watch in shock as Price shakes Marble's hand and, after whispering something that looks like a thank you, Marble leaves the stage and walks shamefully back into the crowd. I would not like to be that wuss of a boy this evening.

"Okey dokey, onto the girls!" cried Livilla as she steps over to the second large bowl. She makes more of a show of it this time, sweeping her hand around the slips before picking one.

"Hope Greengrass." she calls and a tall fifteen year old steps out of the crowd. She doesn't look like a trainee to me, more the kind of girl who would rather spend her days inside doing whatever District One kids do instead of training.

"Would you like to be replaced, Hope?" asks Livilla, shoving a microphone in the girl's face.

"Yes" she replied simply, there is no shame in her turning down the games. She is not the victor type.

"I volunteer!" again several voices call out, mostly from the front row, but one voice calls from further back. A girl rushes to the front and pushes the older girls out of the way.

"Alexandria, no!" calls Ionia, the district's oldest victor, from her place up on the stage. So this is the girl she adopted, I think as the young girl stands on stage

"My name is Alex Santos." she announces. "And I'm going to win the games!"

Wow. I think as the screen cuts off from One. That's certainly unusual such a young volunteer, in District One of all places. However, there's little time to ponder her choice as District Two springs up on my screen.

_A/N Hullo again this is an updated chapter beted for me by the wonderful Ivy000! I've just sent her the second chapter so that will be up and amazingly grammatically correct soonish._


	3. District Two Reapings

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING:

Valda Garcia's POV

We sit around the large meeting table that is installed in the very top floor of District Twos training centre. From here I can see down onto the yard bellow where four potential tributes watch as two of the younger recruits duel. I watch as they help the young boys by taunting them and tossing rocks in their direction. It is only by failure that we become stronger and as District Two citizens we are taught that early on.

Nero Petronus knows that lesson of course. It's helped him take the deaths of his two only children as well as he could. What none of us could have predicted however would be how keen he would be to mentor again this year.

"The reaping are only a week away!" he yells stomping around the room as he does so "You should just let me mentor and leave it at that!"

Blaze Layland at 73 is the oldest living we have here in two and is therefore in charge. He scratches he short black beard and frowns at Nero.

"Not happening" he retorts for the fifteenth time that afternoon "not after last year" he sounds less convinced than he did the last few times and I find myself wondering why none of the other males are volunteering their services.

"Because my children lost it" Nero argues back "you've had years of good service from me, three victors I've brought home" he points down the end of the table where Michio, Lenna and Lana are sitting keeping quiet and biding their time. "And now you tell me I'm not fit to mentor"

Blaze moves his hand up to his wrinkled bald head and pauses a moment, in that moment I catch him glance over at me.

"Oh please don't Blaze" I ask him in a slight whisper but it's too late, he's caved in.

"You can mentor if Valda accompanies you" he states calmly, Nero stops pacing the room and stares in shock at Blaze.

"Valda" he exclaims "but surely Lana would be a better choice", the tall 27 year old at the middle of the table puffs out her chest and looks ready to accept her new responsibility. "The capitol adores her" Lana can barely contain her glee at Nero's words.

"But I don't" retorts Blaze causing her to shrink back down with a little growl of annoyance

"Nero and Valda will mentor, that is final" he sates slamming his fist on the table and in that one swift movement I'm being sent back to the war front.

Kindra Harper's POV:

I pull my long hair out of its braid and toss my scrunchie in my locker, it's been a long day of training and I'm glad it's over. Of course Amethyst and Velma are still in there practicing with the swords as long as they can; the reaping is next week of course. I don't need to however as I don't ever plan on volunteering, my parents have set another path for me. A path that will lead from the training centre to the peacekeeping academy. Five years service in the forces - hopefully in district four where I can get a tan and meet some cute men - before I'm assigned to the capitol and maybe even eventually to the president's guard. Yes my life is all planned out and I do not plan on the hunger games getting in my way.

I slip out of my sweaty t-shirt and toss it into my duffle, in only a training bra and my shorts I make my way to the showers, a quick five minute shower and then I'll head home.

I strip off and jump into the shower, enjoying the relief from my aching muscles that the warm water brings.

"Kindra you are so fucking sexy" growls a voice causing me to leap into the air, behind me stands Titus Mason one of the meanest kids in the academy, I don't let my fear of him show, I'll have to deal with worse once I'm on the forces.

"You shouldn't be here Titus" I inform him "You'll get the lash if they find out" I grab my towel and wrap it around my body.

"You wouldn't inform on me would you Kindra?" he asks again his voice seems to growl as if he were a wild animal.

"I will if you don't disappear this instant" I tell him.

But he doesn't, he steps forward and grips my wrist tightly, I wriggle to try and free it but I can't, "I want to do so many things to you Kindra" he says "would you deny me my happiness when I'm about to fight in the games"

I spit in his face.

"Bitch" he replies and grabs my other arm causing my towel to slip from my body. He grabs hold of my arms and pushes them above my head. Holding me still for a moment before sticking his tongue down my throat.

"Help" I scream as he releases my tongue from his own to come up for air. Not wanting to wait for rescue I swing my knee into his groin but it makes little impact "You beast" I cry "Help me somebody"

"I love it when you squirm" he tells me before returning his tongue in my mouth again and thrusting his hips towards my own, he groans like an animal.

What happens next happens quickly, four hands grab Titus' arms and throw him to the floor, I follow him in a crumpled heap and grab for my towel.

"You monster" cries Amethyst as she swings her fist at Titus' stomach he barely moves though and grabs my arm heaving me up from the floor still towel-less.

"Leave us be girls, if you know what's best for you" he shouts

Amethyst's eyes glare at Titus, "you let go of my friends" she orders him

"Never" he cries as he grips tighter onto my arm, I try to hide the pain like I've been trained but it becomes too hard, I scream as I feel the first bone break.

"Noo" cries Velma as she charges towards us, Titus deflects her easily though with his one free arm throwing her towards the tiled wall. With an almighty crash she slams her head into the wall and a trickle of blood seeps out.

"I warned you" cries Amethyst drawing a knife that was hidden in her belt, why did she have that out of the training room, it was forbidden.

"Amethyst" I squeak half begging her to continue helping me, half shocked that she would remove a knife from the training room, if we weren't in this position I would have had to report her.

"Kill him Amethyst" whispers Velma from the floor, _at least she's not dead_ I think.

Amethyst runs at Titus her knife outstretched screaming as she does so. Titus flings me to the floor and goes to defend himself she slashes at his face for a moment "A little help" she calls and Velma staggers over to help, I want to help I really do, but I'm naked and vulnerable and I'm scared.

Valda Garcia's POV:

Our meeting is rudely interrupted by the screams and shouts of fighting trainees downstairs, after a moment Blaze decides that they need silencing and sends me and Nero to sort it out "You two need to learn to deal with those monsters together" he tells us.

"I can deal with tributes" he huffs "I raised two of them" I kept my mouth shut not mentioning my opinions on the psychopathic Ursa and the dull Adrian.

Speaking of psychopaths I was not shocked to see Titus in the middle of the brawl as he fought against Amethyst and Velma in the girls shower, huddled in a corner was Kindra Harper, wrapped in nothing but a damp towel and griping tightly onto her right arm.

"What in the name of Panem is happening here!" I shout and the fight stops.

"He tried to rape Kindra, Valda" Velma tells me, a trickle of blood running down her face.

"Is this true?" I ask Kindra who nods "Who cut his face like that?" I ask looking at the intricate cut on the boy's cheek, it was skilful but required the use of a good sharp knife, one that was not allowed out of the training rooms.

"I did and I was about to cut more" Amethyst tells me. Her anger at the boy is evident.

"Where is the knife from?" I demand to know, no answer.

"Amethyst and Titus with us now" Nero declares, finally deciding to talk and the two stand up. Nero marches from the room and the two of them follow him.

"Velma take care of Kindra" I order as I follow the three of them out of the room, in a small room beside the changing rooms Nero halts.

"The two of you like to fight huh?" he barks

"Of course" scoffs Titus, Amethyst just nods as she hands over the knife. I take it from her and wipe the blood from it onto my shirt.

"Then I expect to see you both on stage next week, if you don't then you will both receive the punishments befitting your actions today. Understood?"

The two tributes nod.

"Leave my sight" he barks and they vanish, shouting obscenities at one another as they walk along the corridor.

"Was that wise?" I ask

"Of course it was" Nero replies sharply, "with the skill and willpower between those two we're guaranteed a win this year"

Syrio Flowers POV:

After the excitement of District one and its young volunteer I was ready for a bit of normal from District two, hopefully two eager volunteers ready to fight in an arena without allies.

Their escort is a stout woman by the name of Tertia she starts by introducing this years mentors as Nero Petronus and Valda Garcia, I'm intrigued to see that Nero is back after last year, but he does know his job well. And Valda I thought she'd retired from mentoring years ago, what an odd combination.

"First the boys" calls Tertia as her hand hovers by the large glass bowl filled with names.

"I volunteer" calls a bored voice from the crowd, sending a shockwave of excitement through the crowd.

"Urm we usually pick a tribute and then ask for volunteers" Tertia states as the crowd chuckle, Tertia doesn't like change, I remember her freaking out when I told her of my new rule.

"Yeah but this is taking too long" announces the same boy as he steps onto stage "The names Titus Mason by the way" he announces.

"I volunteer too" calls a female voice the camera cuts to her stood in the middle of the crowd, around her is a girl with her arm in a sling and another who looks ready to kill the boy on stage herself, after a quick jog a girl joins Titus on stage "Amethyst Swift since you didn't ask" she tells Tertia

"You're going to die bitch" hisses Titus

"Not if I kill you first" replies Amethyst. _Interesting._


	4. District Three Reapings

**A WEEK BEOFRE THE GAMES:**

**Battery James' POV:**

"Battery are you there? I need you here!" calls Fuse as he crashes around his office, I sigh, for such a genius he can sure be a prat.

"What's wrong?" I shout back though to his office, I'm in the middle of typing up some notes from a meeting I only half understood and it's hurting my brain, putting me in a bad mood.

"Come here now" he orders and I mash the save key before heading into his office. He's crouched down over by a filing cabinet and throwing my perfectly organised files absolutely everywhere, this is going to take me hours to fix and I know he won't help me.

I sigh again, I m not in the mood for Fuse's personality today, him playing boss and me following his every command, yes it's a good job and yes he secured it for me, but sometimes it becomes just too much for me to handle.

"What on earth are you looking for" I snap,

"That proposal, for the new projector system, I had it just here and it needs to go to the capitol to get approved" he continues to throw paper everywhere.

"I sent it yesterday Fuse" I tell him calmly - tell me again which of us is supposed to be the genius here, the one with the high paid job at just seventeen.

"Really" he stared at me with a look of relief.

"No I threw it in the trash" I roll my eyes "yes I sent it on the first train yesterday morning, I got an e-message just thirty minutes ago that it had be signed for."

Fuse wraps his lanky arms around me and laughs "what would I do without you Bat?" he asks.

"I have no idea boss" I reply with a half smile "shall I go now"

"Yes yes" he says letting go and waving his hand, ah _back to superior Fuse are we now mate_. He walks over to his desk and pulls out some clean sheets of paper, which he begins scribbling ferociously on; I guess he has another idea.

As I continue to type up words that make no sense about the inner working of one of Fuse's new inventions, I wondered what it would be like in his head.

Yes he's smart, his parents pulled him from school at twelve years old as he was already so far ahead of the others it was just wasting his time. They found him a job here at the capitol's main design labs for the creation of new technology ('CONT labs' for short). When I left school at fifteen after discovering I'd learnt everything my teachers could tell me about Panem and the jobs available for a mid intelligence boy in District Three, Fuse had already risen to the post of head developer and was in the position to hire me as his secretary.

Of course I have to stick out this job, the pay is good and I share it with my family meaning we can afford to eat and pay our rent for the small two four room apartment we live in.

I honestly don't know where my family would be without him.

Time passes slowly as I continue to type slowly ensuring there isn't a single mistake in the document, it takes a couple more hours but finally I finish it.

Just as I'm wondering if I want to brave Fuse's office again to get to fixing the mess he's made the phone buzzes and I grab it.

"Fuse Zapa's Office"

"Battery darling its Fuse's Mom, is he free?"

"I'll just see" I reply before hitting the hold key and connecting to Fuse's phone, "it's your mom," I tell him "Do you want to talk?"

"Urm... yeah go on then" he says and I connect the call through, listening in through his thin-ish door I can tell it isn't a happy conversation. Its loud and shoutey and includes phrases like 'why is this my fault', 'I only do what you tell me to' and 'why do I have to fix this?'. It finally ends with the line being cut off from Fuse's end.

Battery comes out of his office and groans before leaning on my desk. "Guess what he's done now" he cries and I shrug.

"Who your brother?"

"Yes Volt, he ran away from school and they found him hiding at Huxley's house."

"huh?" I ask "why?"

"Because the little brat told Huxley that he also hated me and you know how Huxley has been poisoning his mind. Now he's decided he's moving back to those depressing apartment blocks with his older brother!"

I don't mention the obvious that I also lived in the 'depressing apartment blocks'. But I could see his problem, ever since his older brother had left home complaining of the way that the family all treated Fuse like he'd won the flipping Hunger Games or something.

Of course his obnoxious superiority complex didn't help one bit.

"How irritating" I sympathise "Why don't you head over there later and talk to Volt, I'm sure he'll come home if you ask him too. Maybe take little Alba with you"

"Volt's too much like Huxley, a stubborn little kid, he'll never come home now. You can be very dumb Battery, do you know that?" he scoffs as he marches back into his office.

I groan "if you say so boss"

* * *

**Byte James' POV:**

Battery comes in from work exhausted he collapses on out threadbare couch and groans "what's up bro" I ask as I bounce onto the couch beside him, the creaking of the springs tells me that wasn't the best idea.

"f'ing Fuse as usual" he groans

"Battery language" calls our mother from the kitchen

"Tell me all about it big bro" I say as he starts a pretty usual rant on how his best friend/boss has been an insufferable little prat today.

"And then" he exclaims at the end of a particularly long diatribe "and then he goes and calls me dumb!"

I chuckle "quit then"

"Ha" he guffaws "as if I could, you know we need every cent Byte"

"Of course I do bro" I reply reaching up to his head and ruffling his hair in a way that I know irritates him greatly.

He barely has time to swipe my hand away before a tap on the door grabs my attention.

"Come in calls" mom from the kitchen, at the door is Pexey my best friend "You free Byte" she asks quietly "I have something to show you"

"You mind mom?" I ask "I'll be back in time for dinner"

"Yes sure love" she sighs, "but try not to get messy, you need that dress clean for..." she pauses "next week"

I nod understanding and Pexey grabs my hand and pulls me out of my front door. We rush along the great corridors of apartment block Q floor 6 until we reach the stairs, I expect her to lead me downstairs but we head up instead all the way up to floor 14, the roof.

We come to a stop by a small maintenance shed that's been untouched for at least as long as we've been using it as a hideout, which is about as long as I can remember

"What have you got to show me then?" I ask, she smiles and pulls out a tightly folded sheet of paper from her pocket laying it out on the floor she pulls over a few chunks of rubble to secure it down.

"That" she says we look at the sheet for a while it's a technical drawing of some kind. It's more complex than the ones we've studied at school though and I struggle to piece it together.

"What is it?" I ask "why are you showing it me?"

"Just look" she says her intense brown eyes staring at me "look at it" she stabs the sheet for emphasis.

I look at it, firstly assuming it may have been one of the sound systems we we're studying in school that week, but Pexey isn't one to bring school work home with her. She is the type of girl however to not let a preoccupation go and this week it's her dad, specifically his top secret job in the government labs. Oh and the strange company he's been keeping lately, I've told her to leave it a hundred times, her dad has a mean streak and she should't be angering him.

"Where did you get this?" I ask.

"Found it, you know what it is yet?" she grins wickedly

"I can't help but feel that you already do"

"I have a suspicion but I need a second opinion, please just think!" she begs me.

I look at the drawing and see some kind of space to add something to make it work; it seems to be hand held with a single point of contact to operate it. There's also some kind of propulsion system and re-loading barrel, like a ...

"oh"

"It is isn't it" Pexey whisper "I knew it, it's a gun, a peacekeepers gun"

"We shouldn't have this" I say "if they found it we'd be dead. Why do you even have this? It's obviously from your dads work"

"I found it in his desk draw" she whispers "if it was so dangerous why would he even bring it home?"

"Why did you take it then Pexey?" I retort I'm freaking out a bit now.

"I don't know" she exclaims "it was just there and I grabbed it. Should we give it back?"

"No then they'll know you had it!"

"Destroy it then!"

"No!"

"Why not, what else can we do with it? Oh gosh Byte I don't think, I didn't know!"

"No no we can deal with this" I say, I take a few deep breaths and start to panic "we're going to die aren't we Pexey"

"I don't know" she screams "you're the clever one, help me fix this"

I screw my eyes closed "you took it from your dad right?"

"Right, it was in his work bag"

"we need to sneak it back then"

"But how, he's home now, he usually spends some time talking with those weird men in the kitchen before dinner"

"Where does he keep his bag then?"I ask, trying to formulate a plan.

"At the back of the kitchen" she answers "he always leaves it in the same place, just tonight it was open."

I grab the plans and fold them back up into a small square "let's go" I say as I pocket them and head for the door to the main building.

We slowly walk down the stairs till we return to floor 6 and tiptoe along the corridor until we reach our own doors, facing each other in the middle of the long corridor.

"you ready" I whisper Pexey nods and turns the handle. We slide slowly into their main room, which like ours is used as a kitchen, living space and sometimes workspace, to the back are three more doors, two bedrooms and a bathroom. We shut the door behind us and I look to the kitchen table, around it sits Pexey's father and three other men, the ones Pexey calls weird and my mother would call 'bad news'. Behind them at the kitchen counter stands Pexey's mom, keeping quiet as usual.

"Where are they Pexey?" her father asks standing up from the kitchen table, he is joined by the three other men, all of them tall and scary. I pull the plans from my pocket and hand them over. All plans made in the last half hour forgotten instantly.

"We didn't know" I say as I pass it over "we're so so sorry" Pexey had begun to cry.

"I'm sorry daddy" she weeps "please forgive me"

"You girls know what this is?" one of the men grunts.

We both shake our heads.

"You girls are smarter than that" laughs Pexey's dad, scaring me to my core "what is it?"

"A gun" Pexey squeaks "I shouldn't have took it I'm really sorry"

"Byte you should go home now" her father orders and I open the door and leave, shutting it behind me. Pausing to collect my breath I listen out for the sounds of a beating. No such noises come however and although I remain pretty sure that Pexey may have a new bruise tomorrow, I return home and eat my dinner with my Mother and brother with a smile on my face.

* * *

**Syrio Flower's POV:**

The first thing that jumps out from district three beside the dull grey skies that seem to be a constant there is the stark contrast of its two mentoring victors to the left by the district mayor stands Gadge Jobs and to her left is Flash Dublin, one a recluse who is singlehandedly bringing up three, no scrap that two sons, I remember that Gadges' youngest died in the games last year, stupid kid was the second to go after wandering into a snakes nest. I liked those snakes, one of the few prideful memories I have of last year's games.

Flash on the other hand is still milking his every moment as a victor as much as he can, living life in the 'flash lane' I believe he calls it. He's never been very good at mentoring though.

"Boys first then" announces their escort a tall man by the name of Elvio who wears glasses without lenses in an attempt to appear intelligent. He reaches into the pall and in one quick movement pulls out a slip.

"Fuse Zapa" he calls there is a murmur in the crowd as a boy emerges from the middle of the crowd.

"This can't be right" the boy says "this can't be right, I'm important, I was safe right?" he is still muttering as he reaches the stage.

"Any volunteers?" asks Elvio with a cheerful grin. There is silence.

"But.. But I'm important" whispers the boy again his face frozen wide-eyed in shock.

"Girls then" Elvio continues to hold his grin as he grabs a name from the top of the bowl "Pexey Bones" a girl emerges from the same part of the crowd looking terrified, she however remains silent; the only noise is a woman weeping somewhere.

No one volunteers for the girl either and a silent Pexey and shaking Fuse shake hands and I groan at the dullness of Three for a moment, such a downer between two brilliant districts.

Oh well I think as the bright sunshine of Four bursts onto my screen, the show must go on.


	5. District Four Reapings

A WEEK BEFORE THE GAMES:

Salton Darters POV:

I'm honestly not listening as Amadeus and Finnick ramble on to our small crowd of victors about how important it is that we bring home a victor as a pre-speech about whose mentoring our two little corpses this year. I already know I'm going, it is my turn after all, plus Finnick told me a couple of days ago.

Apparently joining me is Marena Beall, a strange creature who has been to the capitol a fair few times to mentor, she is obsessed about the games and trains our kids to win, me? I just prefer to head away to the big city for a few weeks and meet up with my friends there. Drink a little party a little, do all the fun things I can't back in this ditch of a district.

I've mentored with Marena a couple of times before, she's a pain to work with, far too serious and just much too intense for my liking, after we end the meeting I walk over to where Finnick is zipping up his coat and tap him on the shoulder.

"What is it Salton?" the old man grumbles

"It's about Marena" I reply, keeping calm and polite,

"Get to the point, I'm wasting valuable drinking time here boy"

"I don't want to mentor with her, she's weird and obsessive and freaky looking" I ramble out

"I didn't know you felt so strongly about me Salton" a deep un-naturally feminine voice speaks up behind me.

I groan as I realise it is Marina talking to me, the freakily tall, woman looks down on me with her squished nose and crooked mouth, I feel as if she's planning to kill me or kiss me, I don't know what's worse.

"Finnick" I groan but the old man is already gone, wheeling out his buddy in front of him.

"Son of a bitch" I mutter as I watch him swig on a hip flask as he disappears out of my view.

"I'll see you at 0600 sharp" Marena informs me as she smacks me sharply on the back "we've got planning to do"

She also disappears out of the room and I realise I'm alone, everyone in D4 is so dull, in the capitol we'd be barely starting the parties now but this lot, they're off to bed. I debate heading back to my own little mansion by the sea before changing my mind.

If Finn and Amadeus can spend their evening drinking themselves silly, so can I.

I head into the town, down by the fish market is a little collection of stalls that most people know of, its District Fours black market and the only place any of us can get any decent alcohol. Jib grins to me as I approach his stall;

"Usual Salton?" he asks already reaching into his cart for my usual bottle of clear liquid that doesn't smell or taste to bad and can help me forget my worries.

"Go for it" I tell him as I plonk a few coins into his hand and take the bottle. I open it and swig. "I'm mentoring again" I tell him.

"Bummer" he comments as he bits each of the coins before pocketing them, I can tell he's not interested in my worries so I make my leave.

I walk slowly along the beach front swigging from my bottle as I go, I pause and perch on a rock as the sun sets and just look out to sea.

I begin to flash back to my games so I take another swing, and another and another. I keep drinking till the whole bottles gone but the images still come.

Water and fire and screaming and blood and and ...

"Oh sorry sir, didn't see you there" a small girl with long brown hair comes stumbling towards me, she has tears of laughter in her eyes and looks like she's having the time of her life.

"No worries kid" I slur out and her eyes open wide in fear, great I'm scaring kids now, stupid drunken Salton.

"Monique" a smaller younger voice calls

"Coming, Wanda" Monique calls and continues to run along the beach, not giving me a second look. Cute kid I think as I force myself to my feet, throw my empty bottle on the beach and begin the long stumble home.

Marena Beall's POV:

I wake up with the sun as usual and pull on some training clothes before going for a run, as I run along the street of victors housing towards the cove at the end; I wave to Nemo who's out in front of his house, weeding his plants. He like me is one of the few who hasn't turned to alcohol in the years since our games, me I focus on the future and the tributes while Nemo focuses on his plants.

After a run around the victor's cove where we keep out boats and along the beach I head to the training center it's almost six am but I know Salton won't be on time, he never is. He'll be sleeping off last night's alcohol.

I don't need to unlock the door of the center as it broke a few weeks ago and no one has repaired it yet. _No one in this district cares anymore_ I think.

A couple of street children had slept on the floor of the training room that night so I wake them up with a sharp kick of my boot and they scatter out of the open windows.

Alone I survey the hall, and not for the first time feel disillusioned with District Fours volunteer program, we we're supposed to be one of the powerful ones, we were up there with one and two and then the rebellion came, they ruined it for all of us. Sometimes I feel like no matter how hard I try I'll never repeat our former glory. I was born too late for that.

The clock hits 0700 and Salton still isn't here, It's up to me again. The first of District Fours trainees arrive by half past and I set them up in pairs training.

There's eight in all, five male and three female, we used to have nine but then the games happened last year and Gunnar volunteered and Gunnar died.

That left us with eight, two new twelve year olds, one thirteen year old and five who are still fifteen and sixteen and not ready for the games. But I work with them anyway, practicing every move I know, discussing the games and preparing them for the reaping.

As the trainees head home at lunch time Salton stumbles in, obviously drunk.

"You're disgusting" I inform him.

"What of it sunshine" he replies "which of those little kids you gonna throw to the wolves then?" he asks.

"None of them" I reply "their all still too young"

"So you're going to let an innocent untrained kid die instead, how noble" he's baiting me and I'm not going to fall for it, not this time.

"You know how it is Salton. You've been up on that stage, wondering if you'll come out alive. You as well as anybody knows a reaped kid can win it"

"Don't justify yourself" he spits back at my face "you're just as bad as the rest of them" he stumbles over on his feet and rights himself quickly.

"come with me" I say grabbing his arm and leaving the training center door wide open, I bring him to the town square and we sit on a bench.

"Pick any kid" I say and he points in a random direction his finger hitting a boy stood in the far corner of the square, I smile as I stand up and head over to where he is standing talking and laughing with some friends.

"What's you name" I say as I grip his arm, and pull him back across the square where Salton sits glaring at me.

"Troy Caspian" he stammers "What do you want with me miss, I ain't no trainee."

"Leave the boy alone" groans Salton as I stand Troy in front of him.

"Why don't you train?" I bark at the boy, he has muscles and I can tell from the salt that's dried on the hairs of his arms that he's a swimmer.

"Don't have the time" he replies his voice strengthening as he got over his initial shock "I've got work to do."

"You work on the fishing boats?"

"Yea, with my Pa"

"You can still train you know boy, there's always time if you make it"

He scrunches his nose and frowns at me "My girl died in the games, few years back. Adriana" his eyes harden as he speaks, there's still some anger in there.

"She was a good fighter" I tell him "that was a tough year"

" Aren't they all, look can I go now miss, my friends are waiting"

"One last question Troy" I say, unsure if Salton is even listening, if he even gets my point.

"Go on" Troy replies, rocking on the balls of his feet, he's itching to go.

"If you were reaped next week could you win?"

"Sure why not" he smiles before running off to re-join his friends. I sit next to Salton who just stares at me.

"And what was that supposed to prove" he scowls

"that you can pick any god-damn kid off the street and mold them into a victor, that even though I'm not sending one of my kids into the games this year that we could still have a chance!"

"Yeah if Troy over there gets picked."

I don't reply, I just let Salton storm off as I think, _what if I could get Troy picked_?

Syrio Flowers POV:

A beautiful establishing shot of District Four starts off the next segment before we pan over to the stage where their escort Roxanna stands, she's dressed in a very low cut dress which doesn't leave much to the imagination. I see Marena and Salton stood to the front of the crowd as they are introduced, Salton looks over to Roxanna and is practically drooling over Rox's cleavage.

Classy.

"On to the reapings we go" sings Rox as she skips towards a glass bowl on the stage "ladies first"

She dips her long painted finger nails into the bowl and with a dramatic flair "Monique Steel"

A small brunette girl tiptoes up to the stage, blinking in fear, Rox calls for volunteers and is met by silence.

"On to the boys then" sings Rox as she grabs a slip from the top of the bowl "Troy Caspian"

"No!" the shout doesn't come from the boy or the crowd but from the stage, Salton Darter stares at Marena as his mouth gasps open in shock "you didn't" he tries to whisper as the microphones pick up his voice and project it across the nation.

Down in the crowd we can see Troy, emerging slowly from the boy's side, he looks shocked and confused and scared; but not half as much as Salton does.

I'm still confused as the camera cuts to District Five, I make a note to investigate later.

**_A/N: a quick note if your a little confused, the Finnick here isn't the Finnick from the books, he's his son, all the original Victors were killed after the failed rebellion, this Finnick isn't like his father, Annie was murdered by the capitol (after she gave birth in prison) and he was given to a foster family who taught him to hate his parents, love the capitol and forced him into the games at age 14, he won by being cruel and unforgiving. If you think that's far to much information about such a minor character; Jib becomes terribly sea sick when he tried to work on the fishing boats, the only thing that would steady him was his homemade alcohol, he soon found this a much better earner._**

**_2_****_nd_****_ A/N: Sorry this took so long to publish, real life and writers block and all that. I'm not really happy with it and I promise to make it up to the people who submitted the tributes by giving them a better chapter later._**


	6. District Five Reapings

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING:

**Dirac Bell's POV:**

"Foster you know she can't" I cry at the man sat on the other side of the desk in the small office in the government building in District Five.

"There's nobody else" he counters "We have to send a female mentor for the female tribute and it's either Nina or Zippina and I'm not sending Zip again, not after last year"

"I don't care if Zippina Kirk personally kills both of our damned tributes herself, I'd rather you send her to the capitol than my pregnant wife!" I rage at him, I don't really know why I came here today, to yell at the old man. It's probably already too late.

"How long gone is she again?" he asks flippantly, I can already feel that I'm defeated.

"Eight months" I reply, forcing my voice to calm down.

"Then she'll be in the capitol two weeks max, with plenty of time to spare, take the time to have some peace and quiet Dirac, you'll wish you had in a month or two's time" He waves his hand dismissively and looks back down at the paper on his desk. I didn't even think victors had to do something as benign as paper work but I get the message and leave.

I didn't tell my wife I was coming here today; she'd probably not be impressed. As a victor she's got to keep up this tough ready for anything persona; but no matter what she says right now she needs protecting, her and our baby both. That's what I'm here for, that's what I promised her on our wedding day when she was still so battered and bruised from the arena. We protect each other, it's what we do.

* * *

**Milah Jones' POV:**

Good kids don't get reaped, that's what father always says, I guess it must be true because I only know other good kids and none of them have been reaped.

Us Jones siblings are good kids, our family is well known around the district for it. Kai Jones and his six children. All of us with the same curly brown hair and blue eyes; we're well known and kinda respected.

"Milah" calls my twin sister Fran from outside our room, "Can I come in?" she peeks her head around the door and slips into the room.

"Are you nervous?" she asks me her voice barely above a whisper

"about ... next week?" I ask,

She nods.

"Good kids don't get reaped" I tell her "Anyway we're only twelve, one slip each hey"

"Yeah one slip each" she replies before coming in for a hug, "we'll never lose each other will we Milah"

"Never" I reply.

There's another tap on the door too our bedroom; one of the many downsides of having such a large family in D5, three roomed houses. It's Baelfire, or Bae as we call him. He's followed by his two best friends; Pate and Wayne

"What you two up to?" he asks as the three of them squeeze into the small room.

"Not much" I reply

"lies" chuckles Pate one of Bae's friends, "its a week before the reaping, you're fretting aren't you"

"No!" I say perhaps a little too defensively,

Bae smiles gently and brings us both in for a hug, "You kids have got a slip each, and it's not like you have any Tesserae unlike..." he fades off.

"Unlike who?" Fran asks

"Unlike the poorer kids, in the district" he finishes with a little smile "Anyway would you girls mind playing somewhere else, we have a science project to finish up, for the fair"

"Oh I love the science fair" I grin as I jump up "What are you guys making this year?"

"Not telling" Bae replies, "It'll spoil the surprise. Now shoo!"

I grab Fran's hand and we rush out of our room into the hallway, I put my fingers to my lips and grin as we push our ears to the door, hoping to hear what the boys were planning to show at this year's fair which always took place a day before the reaping.

"You did it then?" asks Wayne "You went to the town hall and..."

"Yeah I did and for all eight of us too" Bae replies "But it's all for a good cause"

"That sucks bro" Pate comments "I didn't know your family did that, take the Tess and for other families as well"

"Well its kinda frowned upon so we don't shout about it" my brother replies "Anyway Lizza did it for a few years when she turned sixteen and she's fine"

"How many slips have you got then?" asks Wayne.

I'm frozen still as my brother does the maths, Tesserae, that's practically a death sentence. Good kids don't take Tesserae, Good kids don't get reaped.

"45" comes the answer from our bedroom and there are two gasps of shock that follow it.

"Let's go" whispers Fran and I nod in agreement, we can fix this, we can do something.

Main room where mom was fixing some clothes as baby Ethan crawled around her feet "You girls alright?" she asks with a smile on her face.

"Yes" we reply simultaneously as we rush out of the house, not really heading anywhere we find ourselves at the town square, the Capitols team are already here, setting up the stage and cameras and lights. We stand and watch in silence for a moment until I can take the silence no longer.

I turn around and look into my twin sisters eyes, they are also beginning to stream with tears of fear for our brother.

"Good kids don't get reaped" I tell her.

"Good kids don't get reaped" she replies as we draw each other into a hug.

* * *

**Laidy Kellogg's POV:**

"Viola" I call into the basement of the bakery "Viola where are you girl"

"Coming Mrs Kellogg" comes the always chipper reply as the pale girl sticks her head into the light at the bottom of the stairs "How can I help"

"Just hurry up with those bags of flour girl, I'm trying to run a business here" I reply as she smiles and vanishes again.

That girl is always far too happy, all 'yes Mrs Kellogg', 'of cause Mrs Kellogg', 'right away Mrs Kellogg' makes me sick. If my husband had done his job all those years ago and given me children then we wouldn't have to keep hiring these kids from around the District. The ones who come to us all smiles and beg to be taken on only to disappear once they get given their work assignment by the government. How are we supposed to run a business without trained workers I'll never know.

"Viola" I call again from the kitchen, and the girl appears with the large bag of four and heaves it onto the work counter, still smiling.

I roll up my sleeves and begin to mix the dough, using the four Viola has just brought me, "Shall I get another?" she asks.

"No" I bark at her "We need more eggs. Use the money from the till and get two dozen from the market"

"Right away" she smiles and disappears into the front of the shop, as the door swings open I can see my husband laughing along to some Peacekeepers' joke and frown, aren't there any other custimors he could be dealing with.

I continue to work on my dough as I take out my stresses, on Viola for being the perfect child I never had, on my father for losing his job and leaving our family destitute, on my husband who took me in and taught me how to bake for him, but couldn't give me a child, on the District scientists who were so kind to me and on myself for signing onto that trial in the first place, being promised not one but two beautiful children, twins they promised me, but what did I get. Nothing, a barren womb to match my husband's weak sperm. A perfect match.

"Eggs" announces Viola appearing back in my kitchen twice as fast as I'd expected her to, I snatch the box from her and check all the eggs look fresh and un-cracked. They're perfect of course.

"We have an order for a dozen cupcakes for the Capitol delegates arriving this evening so get baking child" I order her, I watch her every move and struggle to find fault, yet another perfectly trained baker I'm going to lose by next year. I suppose I'd better start the process of hiring her replacement.

As the afternoon turns into night and my husband closes up the shop the last of the baking goes into the oven. He passes Viola the usual, bundle of money and hardening loaf, she as usual thanks us and disappears back home. Home to her mother and young sister.

My husband tries to wrap his arms around me and kiss me but I wiggle out of his embrace "not tonight" I tell him "I'm not in the mood"

He leaves me alone and heads up stairs to our small apartment above the bakery and I sink myself onto a chair where I begin to weep.

* * *

THE DAY OF THE REAPING:

**Syrio Flowers POV:**

The sun is still shining as the camera's turn all eyes to District Five, seamlessly taking us to the stage where their small group of Victors sit in a semi circle around the back of the stage, the mayor is just taking his seat after the reading of the treaty of treason, and after a short pause the escort stands up.

Following him are this year's two mentors, Foster and Nina. Foster is a usual sight in the mentoring line up, going almost every year. Nina I haven't seen in a year or two, but by the size of her stomach I can tell she's been busy with some rather lucky man.

"Welcome District Five to the annual reaping Ceremony" he smiles kindly looking down on the crowd with large purple eyes, "We shall pick a lucky lady first I feel" he takes a moment to swirl his hand dramatically around the bowl, basking in his every moment of screen time before picking out one solitary slip.

With a smile he opens it and reads the name, in that moment he is the only one of us who knows the name of the doomed child or potential victor and he loves it.

"Viola Watson" After moment of silence and muffled sobs coming from the rear of the crowd where the parents stand a girl with wild curly brown hair steps out of the middle section, she walks slowly up to the stage where he stands and looks out to the crowd in silence.

"Any Volente..." the escort begins before a scream interrupts him, behind him on the stage Nina Bell has collapsed.

"The baby" she gasps "it's coming. Dirac!"

A man pushes his way past the peacekeepers and officials and climbs onto the stage "I told you Foster" he yells "She shouldn't be here. Doctor Smith!" he lifts his wife up and takes her arm around his shoulder taking his weight "We need to get her to the hospital" he calls "Doctor Smith, you'll need to meet us there" and at that the two make their way off the stage, the camera following their every move.

As all this has happened the space formally stood in by Viola Watson had become vacant, the little minx had made a run for it as all eyes were on Nina Bell.

"Over there" calls a peacekeeper as another grabs Viola as she makes it as far as the bakery, she is dragged back onto the stage and held in place as everyone stands around not sure what to do next.

"Well I guess we need to find you a new mentor darling" smiles the escort, "Zippina Kirk perhaps?"

Zippina Kirk stands up from the back of the stage and moves next to Foster who frowns "behave" he whispers to her, my excellent lip reading skills coming into use.

"Boys now I suppose" smiles the escort grabbing a slip from the top of the second bowl on stage.

"Baelfire Jones" there's silence "Baelfire come on up" he grins into the crowd and after a moment a boy steps from the middle of the crowd, he's wearing a medal of some kind around his neck.

"Bae no!" comes the cry from two small girls at the back of the crowd, gripping onto each other. Bae smiles as he reaches the top of the stairs and joins Viola who is still being held by the peacekeeper.

A close up on the two tributes, reveals that Baelfire won yesterdays annual District Five science fair, well it's always good to have a smart kid in the games, mixes it up a bit.

As for Nina Bell and her baby now I can't wait to see that kid back on the stage, in sixteen or seventeen years time, oh how exciting that'll be.


	7. District Six Reapings

_**A/N: I was gonna edit the last chapter and fix those run on sentences everyone keeps mentioning. But then I decided I'd much rather just carry on with the story and work on not doing it as much in the future.**_

A WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING 

**Lena Hanran's POV:**

As I walk into our kitchen I find my husband humming to himself as he scrubs the counter tops. It's quite an aggressive scrubbing action and I realise and carefully step towards him.

"Aden" I whisper, he looks up with a serious look on his face; however it melts away quickly into his familiar smile.

"You startled me darling" he says kissing my brow, "I was just cleaning."

"Taking most of the varnish with you I see" I chuckle running my fingers across the now rough surface of the counter top.

"It's been a stressful day. I'm mentoring again this year" he sighs resting his head on my shoulder.

"Oh" I reply and stroke my hand through his fluffy red hair.

"I'm okay though" he tells me "I'll be fine. Who knows, may even bring home a winner this year"

"Will you be safe in the capitol?" the voice is of our twelve year old son Colten he hovers by the kitchen door. I beckon him over and bring him into our hug.

"I'll be perfectly safe Coley" Aden assures our son "You'll barely notice I'm gone"

"What ... what if I have to go with you? As a tribute"

"Oh Coley" I sigh and Aden crouches down and stares our young boy in the eyes "You my boy are twelve years old, one name thousands and thousands of slips. You'll be fine"

"Okay dad I believe you" he replies before disappearing. I look at Aden and frown.

"You shouldn't get his hopes up, what if ... what if" I almost break as I remember the fear I felt for Adeline, my eldest, as she stood in such a small group of girls last year. It could have been her.

"Oh Lena, what do I always tell you. We'll be fine" Aden says seeing that I'm shaking. He holds my shoulders securely bringing me into his calming presence.

"You've told me that before" I tell him, "remember the day before you were reaped. We we're hiding from my father round those old garages off the square remember?"

"Of course" he replies kissing my nose, I can't help but giggle. "And then the worse happened, but I made it back to you, just like I promised I would. Then your big mean father decided I wasn't such a wimp after all and we lived happily ever after"

_I wish I could say the same for Adeline and Colten_ I think, but let my husband have the last word.

We start to prepare for dinner and Adeline comes in to help us, she's quiet as usual. "How was your day darling?" I ask but she keeps her distance looking away from me and pretending she didn't hear me.

I don't push it; I know she's been having a hard time as school. Her classmates don't really understand her and she doesn't seem to understand them. It comes with certain judgements and assumptions the life we have as a victor family. How come their families are starving and struggling day to day when we are apparently so happy? Kids can be jealous too, they learn it from their parents and they do things like take out their frustration on my baby girl.

I want to reach out and hug her but I fear driving her further away from me.

Colten re-appears at the perfect moment; that kid seems to have a knack for knowing exactly when dinner will appear. We all sit at our places around the dining room table, the same places we always sit. We're comfortable we're well off and most of all, I'm sure we're safe.

**Maxwell Marin's POV:**

"Again" I yell as Bianca's fists pound into the heavy steel sheet before her, there's sweat dripping from her brow and the rags wrapped around her fists are starting to come loose revealing her blooded knuckles. "Hit like your life depends on it my girl" I tell her.

Bianca continues to hit, her brown hair swinging around her head in its tight pony tail, she finishes off with a kick and collapses on the floor. Exhausted.

"Think fast" calls Alexie my other daughter as she charges towards her sister and hurls a large wrench in her direction. Bianca senses it coming though and dives out of its path, moments after it clatters onto the floor she tumbles forwards in a barrel roll and grabs it, pulling herself up into an offensive position.

"There was no need to warn me sister" she says, relaxing her muscles as she stands up straight again.

"Didn't want to actually hurt you, not this close to the reaping." Alexie mutters.

"Don't worry about it my girl, a little bruising won't matter when neither of you are picked" I say

"Yeah exactly" Bianca agrees "anyway it's not like I'm going to do something stupid and volunteer."

"No don't", I chip in "it's not worth it. I just want you girls to be able to defend yourselves, not win any stupid prize money at the risk of your own lives."

"And if one of us is reaped we'll be ready won't we dad?" asks Alexie, I can tell she is worried, as I was at her age, constantly fearful of the worse.

"Then you'll be able to fight and I'll know I did all I could to prepare you. But don't fret my girls you'll be fine, this is a large district after all." I tell them.

Alexie seems to fall for it as she just smiles as she runs her hands through her hair, "I'm gonna go help mom with tea" she says as she disappears into the house.

She never took to the training like Bianca did, Bianca just has a knack for it and that's fine. As I keep telling them, it's not about being the best, it's about being able to defend yourself in this world we live in.

Bianca continues to swing her fists at the metal sheet as I watch. Happy that she's done with any need for me to teach her today I head inside where I pass ways with Killian, Bianca boyfriend.

"Good evening Mr Marin" he says "Is Bianca out back"

"Sure, is" I reply "she's beating up a sheet of steel" I grin

He returns the grin "Brilliant" he replies before disappearing. I like Killian, he's a good kid.

I wasn't too sure at first, a father never is, this boy snooping around my daughter. Wanting to know how she got such muscles. She brought him home and begged me to train him too. How can a father say no to such a request?

I find Alexie with her mother in the kitchen creating bread dough with a mix of tesserae grain and some more refined grain from the market. I'm not proud that we have to put our girl's lives on the line; but we all have to survive in this world and the majority of us aren't given enough money to pay our rent. Maybe I lie to my girls tell them I'm not preparing them for the games, maybe I'm not. All I know is that we all have to be ready to fight for our lives in this cruel world we live in.

**Syrio Flower's POV:**

The urban landscape of district six fills my screen next, Char bounds around the stage trying to excite the unenthusiastic crowd "let's get ready to pick some tributes" she calls and plunges her hand straight into a bowl.

"Oh!" She exclaims reading the name "Colten Haran come on up" I gasp, a victor's child! How shocking. Yet brilliant fate can be.

The camera finds Colten easily; the operator must be a fan of his father. The boy doesn't even seem to realise his name has been called as he's staring off into space. The lad next to him elbows him in the side and points to the stage but he just shakes his head, he must think it's a joke or something.

It's not a joke though and a peacekeeper grabs his arm and shoves him to the stage where his father stands shaking in fear, he grabs his son and holds him close as Char moves over to the second bowl.

"Exciting" she chuckles "girls then" she digs deep into the bowl and pulls out a second slip.

"Alexie Marin"

A petite girl begins to move from the centre of the crowd, her eyes open wide in shock. I write her off as a bloodbath until I hear a noise I never thought I'd hear in District Six.

"I ... I Volunteer"

"Bianca no" says Alexie, "I can do this"

"No you can't little sis" the older girl says "But I can."

Bianca walks up to the stage and stands next to the escort as the crowd loudly applaud her. I make a note to watch her carefully as a District six kid must be hiding something to do a thing like that.

**_Another A/N: Ugh this chapter is far too short, then again so is life. So enjoy what you did get and go out and enjoy the sun now ... see my laziness is giving you vitamin D. You can thank me in reviews._**


	8. District Seven Reapings

THE WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING:

Miki Chan's POV:

The students are quiet as they file into my class room; they always are at this time of year. By linking their behaviour to the probability of their name being drawn from the bowl they gain a kind of coping mechanism. I know that's what it is because I used to do the same, not so long ago. In this country of ours childhood is not to be enjoyed it is to be endured. Until the day we complete our eighteenth reaping and are released into the world.

Now I am here; not out in the forest like my peers but safe in the classroom. Here I am surrounded by eager but fearful minds. Children who have been pushed into adulthood only two years ago when their name went in the reaping bowl.

I scan around the room and make sure everyone is present. We are still missing a few from further out into the forests, so I perch on the edge of my desk watching the class as we wait. I study the kids as I sit at the front, try and remember what it was like to be in their position. The reapings not far away after all. I shudder at the thought and have to firmly reminding myself that I'm in my early twenties. I'm safe. They're not.

My eyes flick to the four community home kids in my classroom, all girls. Charity, Twiggie, Birch and Trina. They always sit together on their own table, separate from the rest of the class. They are skinny and frail and often appear bruised. I shouldn't interfere with the district home, I know that, but some days it's so hard. They have the most to fear as always.

Four fourteen year olds, the maximum ten tesserae allocations each; that's thirty three each. That's one hundred and thirty two slips on that table alone. That's not fair.

The four of them keep to themselves, most of all Charity who sits separated from her peers even. They eye her suspiciously wondering, as I am, if she will have one of her incidents this morning. She remains silent, however, withdrawn into herself and silently muttering something.

As I've been pondering Charity the last of my class have arrived. Bree Larson is the final girl to sit down; she shuts the door behind her and mutters her usual apology for her tardiness. I don't dwell on it, the poor girl lives right on the boundary of school districts and it takes her two hours to get here in the morning.

"So" I say standing up from my desk and clapping my hands to get the classes attention "We we're talking about the history of our great nation" I go into the history of how the great and wonderful capitol built their shining city in the ruins of the old world. It's inbuilt in me and I can let my mind wander freely as I talk.

As I reach the bit about the rebellion and obliteration of District Thirteen, I think of the children in my class and how they have been punished and persecuted because of the stupidity of those rebels all that time ago. I ponder what I'm going to scrape together for dinner tonight and wonder if my elder brother got my boyfriend that position in the lumber mill. It takes me a moment to realise that there is a hand in the air.

"Yes Aspen" I say "what's your question?" I try to remember where I'd got up to in my lecture.

"Tracker Jackers?" He ponders the rest of his question a moment, "Would we find them in the woods here? Could we be stung by one?"

"The Capitol removed all the mutations from the districts" I tell the class "They missed some out in the wilds though, so you must never cross the district boundary"

Many of the class have heard this all before but Aspens eyes keep focused on me as if this is brand new information to him. I ponder asking him if his parents have ever told him about the dangers outside the district boundaries. He's always seemed pretty naive about most things and seems like the only member of my class who isn't frozen in fear thinking about next week.

"So the capitol in their victorious state thought of a way to punish the Districts for the rebellion" I tell the class, "and that of course was..." I gesture for my bored class to chime in, which they do.

A general mutter of "the games" or "the hunger games" goes around the class. My pupils look at the floor or intently at their desks.

This is the part of the job I hate, it's a week before the games and here I am spouting the required curriculum to a bunch of scared kids. I decide enough is enough and throw open the windows of my classroom.

"Recess" I announce although technically I'm fifteen minutes early, "go enjoy the sun kids and don't worry too much, the odds are probably in your favour" It's probably tempting fate to announce that to thirty fourteen year olds but right now I just want to cheer them up.

The class clear out and Aspen pauses to thank me for answering his question before running out to laugh and play. I'm just about to head out of the classroom myself when I notice her.

"Charity, don't you want to go outside?" I ask the strange girl at the back of the room.

"Not today" she growls "the trees are angry at me today"

"Why's that?" I ask, felling concern for the girl. I walk over to her desk and crouch down too look at her face, it has a blank glaze.

"Because I hurt them, but I have to chop them down you see he tells me too?" she gestures wildly outside the window as she talks.

"Yes you have to work to earn money and support yourself after you leave the community home" I reply slowly "that's why your boss tells you to cut the trees" I pause, and let her take in the information, preparing myself for one of her outbursts.

"I don't mean my boss" she replies her green eyes suddenly switching on "I mean the three eyed eagle. He watches me. He knows me. He tells me what to do" he voice is so certain of what she's telling me, I'm frozen in fear.

"Did he tell you the trees are angry?" I ask with a whisper.

She shakes her head "No" she replies "they told me that, they tell me that all the time. With every chop of the axe!" her voice rises as she talks "I love being in the forests but now he's ruined it for me!"

"Charity" I ask unsure of my question "Is the eagle here now? Can you see him?"

She nods, "he's just outside the window. Watching me. Watching you too." She smiles wickedly.

I don't know why I look, but I do. There's no bird. Still unsure as to what is wrong with the girl I stand up.

"You can stay inside this recess" Charity I tell her before leaving the room. I won't interfere I think, the poor girls just broken down in the community home. Panem knows I couldn't have managed growing up in such a place. I'll bring up her strange behaviour at next month's teachers meeting; see if anyone else has more experience I think. Yes that should work.

THE DAY OF THE REAPING

Syrio Flowers POV:

I always enjoy the image of district seven as it appears on my screen. The life and greenery of the district always seems so appealing to me.

The stage is set up in the centre of the district away from the trees. On this stage, next to the mayor stand this year's mentors. Rowan Bane and Ivy Vine, a combination I've seen a few times before and one that's never before produced a victor. Though there is a first time for everything I suppose.

"Hello, Hello, District Seven" calls the purple haired beauty that is Nymphaluna Fay, she doesn't walk across the stage she glides, like a mystical being. I can't take my eyes off her subtle curves and long thin pale legs; I picture her beckoning me over on a dance floor and the two of us gliding under the moonlight. In my mind I'm running my fingers through her long pale purple hair and she's tickling my beard and whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

I shuffle around on my seat as I organise my thoughts and force my attention back on the reaping. My beautiful fairy has reached her slender painted nails into a bowl and gently pulls out a name.

She giggles as she opens the slip and reads out the name "Aspen Dionne" the way her perky lips form the name, how her pupils widen with excitement. These are the parts of her I idolise. As I gaze at her the rest of the nation becomes aware that no-one is stepping forward.

"Aspen" she calls again "come on up you lucky thing"

The camera cuts away from my sweet perfect Nymph and towards the crowd where a short kid with scruffy blonde hair is being pulled up to stage. He's not fighting against the peacekeeprs but is crying a little. He stands swaying with fear on the stage as I focus back onto Nymph.

"Girls then" she sings with her sweet wonderful voice "oh I have a good feeling about this one" she says as she grabs a slip from the top of the bowl.

"Charity Greenwood"

There is a mutter from the crowd, which always makes one wonder why. Is she beautiful? Popular? Infamous?

A skinny girl with mousy blonde hair strides out of the crowd.

A microphone somewhere picks up her talking to herself "Oh three eyed eagle, why have you done this to me. Help me dear tree man and I will never cut you again." She says her voice strong and confident.

"Why hello my dears" smiles the love of my life before camera cuts and cruelly takes her away from me.

_Next time_, I promise myself. _Next time I see her I'll definitely, certainly introduce myself_.

_A/N: Hello all, sorry that took so long; I got a little distracted researching Charity's disease. I hope what I did write did her justice. I also hope that you got a good idea of who Aspen is too and that my whole sentence structure thing is getting better._

_I've put my notes on Charity bellow so you can see where I'm coming from with her._

Charity – Schizophrenic.

Delusional thinking

Rare to occur in early childhood – usual in older/late teens.

Positive – delusions and hallucinations. Acting on person – hear voices, see things.

Negative – the way they act, withdrawing – not present.

Respond well to drug therapy – would this be realistically available?

One or more needs to be present – thought disturbance, hallucinations, and delusions.

Thoughts placed in mind by external forces – broadcasted – telling person what to do

Paranoid – delusions of persecution or grandeur that are detailed and complex, no negative symptoms. Disorganised – silly mind – silly and incoherent behaviour, inane laughter, talk about meaningless topics,

Early-onset – warning signs – hallucinations' manifest as noises, claims of someone in head, talk to self while shutting out others. Teens – vacant facial expressions, complaints of plots or conspiracies, angry outbursts, in coherent speech, Irrational thinking, fluctuating moods, nonsense words.

Teenager is not aware they are ill, this is normal to them!


	9. District Eight Reapings

**A WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING**

**Fabion Locke's POV:**

The moment the whistle blows in the factory I rush to find my big sister, to make sure she's still alive. I find her where she usually waits outside the noisy mills and do my customary check that she's still in one piece.

"Fabion" she smiles "I'm fine; we haven't had an accident in weeks in there"

"Yeah. So your due one. Fingers"

I make a point of checking each of her fingers individually and she laughs "come on we'll be late, L will wonder where we are" and with that she runs off away from the smoke and grime of the mills towards the district centre where the sunlight is.

We reach the mayors house and scoot around the main building till we reach the garden. Running to the back we reach a large old outhouse that both houses the old gardening equipment, that the servants don't use anymore, and our instruments. Well Laércio's instruments, the ones his father buys in from district one, but he lets us use them for the band.

Laércio is indeed waiting for us when we arrive; he's probably been waiting here since school ended five hours ago, working on our music. The rest of us have of course been working in the factories, so we can eat tomorrow.

My sister runs straight into his arms and they begin to kiss passionately.

"Ugh guys" I groan, "really!"

"Yes really" my sister replies, "go wait for the others outside little bro. Please!"

"Ugh" I groan again "I'm going to use your bathroom mate ok" I turn to leave without waiting for an answer but get the usual response "back door though mate"

"Of course"

I leave the two of them and head through the garden towards the back door of the mayors mansion. It's a big house that's testament to the wealth our district used to have and proof that there is still the few people out there with money. In the kitchen stands Mrs Whenbury the families cook.

"Good evening Fabion" she smiles, revealing her gap toothed smile "Are you kids practicing again tonight?"

"Every night we can" I reply, my eyes flickering over to her tray of biscuits cooling by the window. Forcing myself to look away I head into the servants bathroom and piss.

Once I'm done I wash my hands and head back into the kitchen where Mrs Whenbury slips one of her cookies into my hand "Don't tell Master Migon I gave you this kiddo" she says with a wink "or he'll be wanting two for himself and ruin his supper"

"Thanks" I smile and munch on the cookie, that is my own supper, as I leave the big house and slowly walk back to the shed I'm still a short distance away when I hear music coming in my direction. Miffed that they have started without me I run up to the shed.

Inside Chey and Laércio have been joined by Tomory who is my sister's age and in her class at school and Elano who always sits next to me at school, the two of them play the bass and guitar in our little band. The music I notice is coming from a guitar in the corner of the room where Laércio sits and plays as my sister sings.

_"Tomorrow will be kinder  
It's true, I've seen it before  
A brighter day is coming my way  
Yes, tomorrow will be kinder"_

The voice of my sister is gentle and sweet and almost brings me to tears until I pull myself together. As she finished Laércio smiles sweetly at her.

"Beautiful" he comments placing the guitar down "just perfect my sweet" he steps over to Chey and pulls her into his arms where they promptly begin kissing again, the rest of us just groan.

"Oh come on" says Tomory, putting my feelings into words, "lets at least get a few more songs out of the way before this turns into another one of your make out sessions"

"Fine" grumbles Laércio as he puts my sister down, "Tom you and Elano grab your guitars and we'll have another practice of One Engine"

I grab my drum stick and pull up my chair as the guys tune their guitars I begin to bash until I get a feel for my set up. Finally ready we begin. I start to pound on the drums, taking out all my days stresses on the heads of the drums. Laércio and Chey both start to sing.

_"One engine barely makes it away_

_One engine barely makes it away_

_Hold on, they're breaking their bonds_

_Hold on, they're breaking their bonds_

_One engine barely makes it away"_

Laércio wrote this song a few months back after being at a party with Jute Mallot one of our few victors. I've never met him but I know he lost his sister in the games last year and few of us have seen him or his parents since. Laércio tells us he was all shaky and had to keep taking these little white pills during the meal.

_"And the martyr line  
It's a bitter pill  
And the line of right  
It will barely make you feel"_

He told me that right after the party he locked himself in his room for two days to write this song as a "reminder of the troubles a victor faces".

_"I'd like to get you in some kind of way  
Some kind of trouble in some kind of way  
Bear down, they'll run you aground  
Bear down, they'll run you aground  
We all must suffer awhile in a way  
_  
_One engine  
One engine  
One engine barely makes it away."_

Chey screeches and claps as the song ends "that was the best we've ever been" she says wrapping her arms around Laércio and pulling him in for a kiss. I roll my eyes and turn to chat to Elano who is asking me about what time we should meet for school tomorrow.

"We could still be better" Tomory interrupts and goes into a speech about how we can fix the bass line by cutting down on the higher pitched notes that Chey was adding to the vocals.

Chey doesn't look pleased with his input and stomps over to Tom, her hands on her hips.

"I'd like to see you try and write the music and lyrics to all our songs like L does" she says to him "all you ever do is snipe at him".

"If only I had time _love_" he scoffs in reply "or do you forget that we work in the same factory every evening _darling_" he uses the same words that Laércio does to my sister but in a condescending way.

"Tom" L warns, sensing he's about to go into another of his bad moods "not today okay"

"Whatever" he responds "can we just go again"

"Yeah" Chey replies and heads back over to stand by L

"_One engine barely makes it away" _she starts with a slightly deeper pitch than last time.

We practice the same song for about an hour until even Tom can admit that it's getting better. Then it's time for us to say goodbye, till school tomorrow at least.

Tom and Elano vanish first heading over to the same side of town, leaving just me and the lovebirds. They sit on a bench in the corner of the room arm in arm they whisper to each other and start to kiss all over again. I let it happen for a bit as I do my short bit of math homework for tomorrow but then I start to feel sleepy and annoyed.

"Mom will be waiting" I whinge "It's getting dark and she'll be worrying"

Chey sighs and pecks L's nose "Just gotta go to the little girls room, but he's right we should go"

L nods "wait for me back in the kitchen I need tidy up in here first, your whiny little brother can help" he chuckles.

"Hey!" I reply indignantly but my sister just giggles before disappearing off towards the house. I start to pick up the sheet music that's on the floor which seems to be the only thing that needs tidying.

"Leave it" says L "I have something to tell you, it's about your sister"

"Thought I was just a whiny little brother" I reply sarcastically "Anyway I try not to think about you and her too much. It's gross" I turn around and place the music on a table before grabbing my bag.

"It's important Fab" he replies grabbing my arm and turning me around to face him. I just look at him as he sinks down on the stool behind my drums "It's my dad"

"What about him?" I ask, L never really talks about his family especially not his dad the mayor, we all know he's the richest kid in town and his family will do literally anything the capitol says but we don't dwell on it. He's a good friend and has always been generous to his friends. Heck he's the reason I have my drums to keep me sane.

"Dads found me a wife" he says bluntly and I gawp at him in shock, did people even do arranged marriages in real life. I suppose rich people must.

"What!" I exclaim "who!?"

"It's Lace Pavarotte" he says "she's the daughter of.."

"of the man who owns the mill Chey works in" I say, finishing off his sentence, plus about a dozen others around town, I know Lace from school and only one word jumps to mind when I think of her Bitch! She flashes her money around, not in a generous way like L does but boastfully. She's always wearing the new capitol designs and mocking those around her who can't keep up. She once announced that her father had got her out of the reaping and was sending her to the capitol to become a designer. That never happened of course.

"Didn't you tell your dad about you and Chey yet?" I ask after a moment. I know he's been taking a while to build up the courage to tell his family about Chey. I can kinda see why were from the slums while he lives up here, in the sunshine. But it still all seems daft to me.

"I tried" he replies his shoulders sinking "I really did. But he just didn't care. Kept saying things like how it was for the good of the District and Panem. Totally nuts if you ask me"

"He wants you to become mayor after him" I reply stating the obvious. L told me this a while ago and we all had a good laugh at it, now the mayor must be putting his plan into action by finding his only son a suitable bride that the capitol will approve of.

"Yea and he's an idiot for thinking so. Why not Rosário?" he asks referring to his older sister "She's much smarter than me, plus she already has the husband and baby." He pauses for a moment thinking over his predicament.

"I can't marry Lace if I'm already married" he announces as if the thought had only just come to him "Fab will you keep a secret"

"Of course"

"I'm going to ask your sister to marry me" he says "after our last reaping. We'll do it over your side of town then my dad will never know"

"You'll still have to register it" I reply "he'll know then, they'll never let you"

"I know some people" he replies "I just need you to find us somewhere safe to go"

A couple of ideas jump to my mind "I also know some people" I smile

"Thanks bro" he replies, tapping me on the shoulder "I'll see you tomorrow" he says

"Yea see you tomorrow" I reply as he disappears out of the door back to the house, I throw on my satchel and head to the main gate where Chey meets me.

"What was L telling you" she asks me "I know he wasn't tidying, you should see his bedroom" she smiles to herself.

"Oh just man stuff" I reply with a grunt "you know cars and drums and stuff" I rush off quickly in the direction of home forcing her to keep up with me and forget about asking more questions. Anyway the reapings were coming closer and assuming we all made it though, she would be married soon and everything would change.

**THE DAY OF THE REAPING**

**Syrio Flowers POV:**

The smoke stacks of District Eight always make for a stark contrast to District Sevens greenness and as the camera swoops over to rest on the stage I notice that the residents here always have a more grey tinge than in seven.

The districts mayor a tall tanned man finishes up his speech and hands over to the escort, another man by the name of Sors whose slicked back hair and well tailored suit is a stark contrast to the rags of the crowd bellow him. Even here in the place where we make out fabrics the district people can't put together a decent outfit.

"_Hmm..._ Shall we pick out a lovely lady first _hmm..._" Sors croons as he steps over to the left hand bowl.

"Always so exciting isn't it my dears _hmm..." _he says as he dips his hand into the bowl after a moment of dramatically digging around in the bowl pulls out a slip with a dramatic flourish.

"_Hmm..._" he murmurs as I wonder how a man with such a noticeable speech tic was ever chosen to escort "can we have _hmm..._ Cheyenne Locke up to the stage please?"

There is a shuffling of people at the back of the crowd and an eighteen year old girl emerges from the crowd. She's keeping a relaxed face and is almost smiling, inside though I know she's hiding her true fears and I respect her for that. Criers aren't victors.

"_Hmm..._ has anyone ever told you how pretty your hair is my dear" asks Sors stroking the girls blonde streaked hair as she stands next to him and looks out over the crowd.

"My boyfriend" she mutters, _oh how tragic._

"Let's find you a new man _hmm..._" replies Sors in a way I'm sure _he_ thought was a perfect segue.

He digs deep into the bowl and removes a new slip "Yarnet Roth" he announces and there is movement from the middle of the boys section, somewhere around the sixteen year olds I think. I wait eagerly for my first view of Yarnet until the camera moves to another movement at the back of the crowd a tall tanned boy has stepped out of the crowd. He is shaking, tears are streaming down his cheeks and he has blotchy red eyes as though he has only recently stopped crying.

"I Volunteer" he states as he marches up to the stage, Yarnet who is a scrawny little lad just stands on the edge of the crowd. His mouth is open in shock.

"What" he gasps "so I'm..."

"Laércio you're crazy" calls Cheyenne from the stage "you can't" but the boy has already rushed up to the stage pushing past the peacekeepers as he goes.

Laércio stands next to Cheyenne on the stage and grips her hand "Yes I can" he announces as the mayor scream in anger.

"My son you are a fool"

Watching all this is Sors with glee in his eyes he claps his hands together "Hmm... We have our tributes Cheyenne Locke and Laércio Migon"

I am grinning as the camera cuts out, had the foolish boy forgotten he can't ally with his girlfriend!


	10. District Nine Reapings

A WEEK BEFORE THE REAPING

**Miller Ghrams POV:**

I try not to make a point of tiptoeing past the Blackwood's house but I do anyway. The curtains there are drawn as always but I know the family will be awake. It's not waking them I'm afraid of though, it's just that I don't want them to think of me and of the games. I may have helped save that young girl's life not so long ago, but last year it was destroyed when her sweet little brother died in the arena. Yes Gadish may have been a little on the large size for a district kid but he was sweet and innocent and he died in the place of one of my five boys. I'd never feared for my children dying in the games before last year, the qwell made it all too real for me. Kasha Blackwood hasn't spoken to me since which will certainly make it awkward when we come to mentor together next week.

I walk away from the small victor's village and towards the centre of town, it's a long walk and I sometimes use our cart if it's just a quick job that needs doing. But today I need to take my time. Exiting Victors Village I remember the night that Gadish died in the arena; my eldest boy Kam laughed. I've never had to beat one of my boys before, just let boys be boys you know, but that was the final straw. He didn't speak for me a week after that but when Allyson died I found him weeping in his room. I never even knew they spoke.

Kam is the reason I'm taking today's walk into town. He's nineteen now the first of my boys to leave the reapings and the first I need to find a proper job. Once I'm dead and gone they won't have the security of being a victor's child, all five of them will need to find their own way in the world. Kam comes first though and I think I know exactly who can help me today.

The mayor's house is pretty much the centre of the district square next to the justice building itself once I knock on the door a young woman opens the door. Missy is the mayor's granddaughter and at 16 is my third son Teff's age. I have my plans for the two of them, but that's not for today.

"Hello Mr Ghram" she smiles her blonde ringlets blowing slightly in the breeze "are you here to see granddad?"

"I sure am lovely" I reply "is he in?" she nods and disappears off into the house calling for him. I let myself in. After waiting for a moment in the their hallway the mayor, my good friend and mentor Arley Heath appears from his office, for a man in his early seventies he still looks good.

"Miller" he smiles "It's been a long time my man" he comes to my side and slaps me sharply on the back "what brings you to this side of town?"

"Just want to catch up with an old friend" I say "so I can't stay too long with you old man"

Arley chortles deeply "Miller you always made me laugh even as a kid"

"You only like me because I freed you up from mentoring" I chuckle

"It's not like I've wasted my time" he says waving around his grand house with a wide grin "I've made an actual difference you know"

"I know, I know" I reply, Arley leads me into his office and offers me a drink which I decline. "I have a favour to ask" I tell him.

"I guessed" he replied suddenly turning on the defensive "I mean why else come see me. It's not like I helped save your life or anything boy"

"Oh come on Arley" I say with a sigh "just a little favour. It's not even for me it's for Kam."

His eyes light up, Arley has always doted on my boys, only had a daughter himself, Missy's mother. She died a few years back, I know for as much as Arley respects me he loves my boys ten times more.

"What Kam want?" he asks "He got himself into some kind of trouble"

"Oh no nothing like that" I say "Not yet anyway. The boy needs a job"

Arley shrugs "don't he work in the fields?"

"Well of course, but those wages" I wave my hand for effect "barely puts food on the table, you know that"

"What you want me to do about it? You know I can't raise wages, It's not like I've been trying these last five years." I've wound him up now I can tell.

"I don't want you to change the system. Just hire my boy!" I plead

"What about the rest of them huh, you gonna be back knocking on my door in two years once Eink turns nineteen" I feel like he's scolding me, like I'm still that stupid young kid fresh out of the arena. Still thinking that the only way to survive is to fight.

"Einks a smart kid, I've got other plans for him. Kam just needs someone to give him a chance"

"He can read and write yeah." He asks after a moment of thought

"Course"

"I'll give him a place then" he says reluctantly. "I've got a few jobs that need doing. Need a fast boy, one that knows how to keep his mouth shut."

"Kam's no fool" I reply "he'll be here at eight am tomorrow"

We shake on it and after more polite talk, I make my leave. On my way back I take a longer route passing through the centre of our district, here is where we set up the market place here is where I can do something to help my district. I start to share my wealth, buying food and passing it to the street kids, dropping the odd coin into beggars palms and slowly making my way to my destination.

I reach Mama Grants stall and touch the blind old lady on the shoulder "Mama it's me Miller" I say kindly.

Mama smiles widely and reaches out for my face to feel it "Oh Miller" she sighs "You're getting fat, she squeezes my nose and for the second time today I feel like a child. This time I'm back in my pre-arena days running around the markets and begging for every scrap of food I ate. I never knew my parents but every street kid knew Mama, we looked out for her you see, we were her eyes.

"How's Buck, Mama?" I ask, about her grandson who is 16 like Teff and Missy.

"He's a good boy" she smiles "looks after me and his pa awfully well"

"He still working that job?"

"Yeah, he loves it being out in the fields all day; you should see the smile on his face when he comes home. School wasn't his thing ya know"

"I know" I reply, school isn't most kids thing round here. All they do is teach the same bullcrap every year about the capitol and the billion and one types of grain out there. Who needs to know the properties of barely when you could be out there earning a wage by harvesting it?

"He's a good boy" Mama repeats with a smile, "don't know what I'd do without him" her fears are real; having a job in this district isn't exactly a free pass from the tesserae rations.

"He'll be fine" I assure Mama "if he gets picked I'll look out for him and if the worse happens, then I'll look out for you" I reach out and remove a stray wheat stem from her hair, those darn things seem to get everywhere.

"You're a good boy" Miller she tells me "I'm glad I still have you, others usually forget me you know, once they move away from the streets"

"Then they are fools Mama" I tell the kind old lady as I kiss her on the cheek "I'll be off now Mama" I tell her, "but I'll be back after the games"

"Till then my boy" she says with a squeeze of my hand.

**Diane Goren's POV:**

Meters away from our front door is the largest wheat field in district nine, it stretches out from our porch as far as the eye can see, all the way to the main road. What's beyond that road? More fields of wheat, and barley and rye just going on and on, never ending. This ocean of yellow and brown grain is where I grew up and my siblings grew up, it's our playground and our school and our workplace. It's where I sit now, hidden from view and pondering. I like to sit here and think, especially in the evening when everyone else is home eating their meagre ration of Tesserae grain and huddling close for the night.

I can see my house and my family from here but they can't see me, this is my usual hiding space for when I just need a moment to think and escape. My eyes drift to the dim light of a lantern coming though the front window and biting into the dusk, later when it's dark I'll follow that light home. But now I just wrap my fraying cardigan closer to me as I watch and think. My mind drifts around, pondering the meaning of it all as I watch my front door swing open and my eldest sister Ayra step onto the porch, she's 17. There are five of us in total and mom of course. The boys Seth and Ed are 8 and 5 and then there's Dee whose 15. I at 12 am officially the middle child, which according to an old book I found once in the back recesses of the library means something important, though I forget what.

Being twelve is a strange age, I know I'm no longer a kid; I'm old enough to die now. My siblings keep trying to comfort me, each in their own way. Dee gives me lots of hugs and promise me we'll be safe, Seth usually responds to any fears about the reaping by deciding he'll plot a way for us to escape the capitol and little Ed simply rushes around twig in hand telling me he'll take my place if I'm reaped. Then there's Arya, Arya doesn't promise or pretend, she once heard me fretting about being reaped and she just looked straight at me and told me that we're all going to die eventually anyway, what difference does it make where and when. Personally I prefer going to Dee when I'm upset.

Ayra, is fixed to the porch now, she leans on the fence that surrounds it and looks in my direction. Not at me as I know I'm well hidden with my dusty brown hair and dust filled clothes. She's looking further out, in the direction the main road goes. The district square, I don't really think of it much, it's just the place where once a year we walk down that road in the early morning, walking the hours it takes to get to the reaping, they'll cut our fingers to make a note of who we are and two people will be taken away to die. Then at the end of the day after using the opportunity to shop for any luxuries we can afford and socialise we'll make the long walk home. Ayra doesn't see it that way though, when she thinks of the district square she thinks of the place where they killed dad. She was there that day after all, so was I though I don't remember it. They stood us on a plinth to show our weeping faces to the crowd as they hung him for his crimes.

Theft, such a strange little word and an action I don't understand. Why take from others when you can just share. Ayra understands though her face hardens when someone mentions him and she'll disappear for days at a time returning with a sack of grain or even some meat. I think she steals but the thought of it scares me so much I pretend to believe her lies about that second job.

My big sister climbs down the steps that lead up to our house and towards me, by her hip swings the curved sickle that she always carries.

"You know Diane" she calls "If you want to hide better I'd suggest sitting in the shadows"

"Not hiding" I reply standing up, my hands on my hips, annoyed that she had known that I was here all along "just thinking"

"You're always thinking" she replies sitting where I was before, I join her "what do you think about?"

I shrug "everything, earlier I was thinking about a book I found at the library, but when I saw you I started thinking about you"

"Good things I hope" she smiles wrapping her arm around me.

"About how you're the oldest" I lie "so you only have two more reapings left, I have" I count on my fingers "seven".

She pulls me in to a tighter hug, "Look no matter what I think about death coming for us all. I promise your name will never go into that bowl more than seven times. I'll take care of us all" I know her promise is sincere; I don't think I'll ever manage to figure out how many times her name is in that bowl.

We sit there for a while longer until the sun has disappeared from the sky, the field is lit by the light of the lanterns in the windows of our and our neighbour's homes. I reach out to grip my sisters hand she takes it and squeezes.

"We should go in" I say "I'm getting cold" I've been cold for a while but the wind was starting to pick up, blowing through the wheat and into the holes in my old cardigan.

Ayra nods and we stand up and begin walking slowly home, she runs her finger along the zip of the old leather jacket that used to be dads "Tell you what little sis" she says "Next week after its over how about I buy you a warm coat like mine then you can stay out thinking all night."

"Are you sure" I gasp "won't it be expensive"

"Nah" she shakes her head, "people always take stuff to trade after the reapings, we'll take those clothes that you and Ed have both grown out"

I know some old tatty baby clothes would never get us a jacket as fine as hers. Sure enough after moms fallen asleep in the main room and Ayra's blown out the candle in the small room that the five of us kids sleep in I hear the door creak open and I know that Ayra won't be back home tomorrow.

THE DAY OF THE REAPING:

** Syrio Flowers POV:**

I feel a yawn coming on as we get our first views of District Nine, I manage to suppress it though and force myself to focus on the screen where their mayor and eldest victor Arley hands over to the escort. She's a typical capitol woman, all wigs and makeup and a ridiculously large dress and in this moment in time I can't for the life of me remember her name.

She steps quickly over to the first bowl, which with those heels is quite an achievement in itself and announces that she's going to pick the boys first. She plunges her manicured nails into the bowl and after a moment of swishing around she lands on a slip.

She lifts it up and with a pursed smile reads out the name.

"Buck Grant" from the middle of the crowd a tall skinny boy is pushed forwards, he looks scared and confused and is practically pushed up to the stage by eager male hands, all safe for another year. He stumbles on the top step and looks out at the crowd with wide eyes and I honestly believe the boy doesn't even understand why he's stood there. I shake my head in dismissal for the boy. The escort asks for volunteers, there is predictably silence.

All that can be heard now is the escort's heels heading over to the next bowl she takes a similar amount of time that she did for the boys and picks out a name.

"Ayra Goren" there are a number of shocked gasps from around the reaping pen, probably a large family, you tend to get more of them further out in the districts.

Ayra steps forward, he face is still and seems to show no emotion. She pushes through the crowds and stands next to Buck. The escort asks for volunteers and again there is silence.

"Buck Grant and Ayra Goren" she says with a smile introducing the two tributes to the nation with a wink into the camera.

My yawn finally seeps out and I comfort myself with the thought that we only have three more districts to go.

_A/N: Happy Sunday, have a new chapter ... That one turned out much longer than I thought it would when I was stuck for how to introduce these characters earlier._


	11. District Ten Reaping

_A/N: The first chapter uses a bit of Japanese/Chinese dialogue so I've provided you with a little guide here: Kuso – Damn it, Imoto – Little Sister, Baka – Idiot, Aho – Dumbass, Ani – Big Brother, Fei hua – nonsense._

A WEEK BEFORE THE GAMES:

**Niko Takai's POV: **

Slipping smoothly through the crowds I keep a close eye on my target. He moves quickly and keeps to the shadows; as I would in his position. It doesn't take him long to slip away from the market place where the stink of animals fills the air and down a narrow alleyway, where the stink of people fills the air. I duck behind some trashcans as he checks behind himself. He pulls down a ladder from the side of the building and scrambles up. The ladder clanks as he does so and once he reaches the top he pulls it up and out of my reach.

I need to follow him but my options are limited. I quickly decide to take the inside route, heading into the building I find it's mostly abandoned. A staircase winds up the top floor and as I make my way slowly up I pass the rooms that border the stairs. Most doors are closed but the ones that are open reveal small apartments, half the size of mine. A breastfeeding woman gives me a funny look as I pass her door and I catch a glimpse of two small children fighting over nothing in particular. I reach the top of the building, five stories later and slip out onto the roof.

From up here I can see out over the whole of the main square. A cattle auction is happening in the same pens that those eligible to be reaped will stand in a week's time. I shudder at the thought of the games before returning to my mission ahead of me.

The top of this building has a pointed roof with a little alcove where some old bells hang. I've wracked my brain for years trying to come up with a reason for the bells but my mind is blank. Inside the alcove is where I know he'll be. I move slowly towards the small doorway and stretch out a hand to turn the handle.

The moment of truth, I think to myself as I push the door open, revealing a small room with walls of sheeting and a carpet of old blankets on top of which is a pile of various pieces of junk.

"Found you Falco" I cry into the room as he stands up, looking extremely pissed off.

"Kuso Imoto" he snaps "didn't I tell you not to follow me Niko?"

I simply smile and sit between him and his friend Shige and pull my knees to my chest "I was bored and you we're going very fast. What do you and Shige-san do up here all day anyway?"

"Nothing you Baka" he responds, resorting to name calling.

"Aho" I mutter in response, Shige sighs.

"You're both Baka" he tells us, "Niko-chan why don't you just head home"

"I can't Ani" I tell him "Mom told Falco to watch me today while they work."

"That's such Fei hua Niko" Falco sighs "Uncle Ushi is home. He can babysit you."

"Yeah but he's in the Dojo" I respond, choosing to ignore the baby comment. I am eleven now after all, only three years younger than my big brother, "You know he doesn't like to be disturbed"

Falco rolls his eyes; "You don't have to disturb him Imoto. Just stay near him rather than me."

I stick my tongue out in response and begin to rummage through their junk "You guys got any food?"

"No" sighs Falco, "Shige was supposed to bring it today"

"Couldn't find any" he replies with a shrug "Anyway it's not like we need any just now."

I nod in response wanting to appear mature but the loud rumble of my belly betrays me. "I bet there's plenty of food in the market place" I try.

"And what money are you spending to get that Baka" chuckles Falco "Not fathers that's for sure"

"I got my hands don't I?" I respond. I've seen kids steal food before in the market; they usually get caught but they're not as fast as me, or as sneaky.

Shige laughs "You got a better chance of jumping on a train to the capitol and eating there Niko" he tells me, with an irritating smirk.

My brother looks less pleased "Niko!" he scolds "if Uncle could hear you now. You know the second precept"

"Ugh" I grumble "Really Falco our parents aren't here now! You can stop with the Buddhist stuff."

"What is it Niko-chan" he implores. He always took after mom and dad loving the home country where ever that is. It's where we get our little secret codes from and why Uncle teaches us to protect ourselves with only our bodies in his secret Dojo. We know it's not a Panem thing and therefore illegal. If we were caught it would be the end of our whole family.

"To refrain from taking that which is not given" I mumble off like the good daughter I have been trained to be. "I'm bored of you guys now" I tell them before climbing out of a side window and heading over to the ladder Falco had pulled up earlier.

"Niko!" my brother calls to me as I leave them, but I never catch what he's trying to tell me.

**Daphne Thyme's POV:**

"Daph, Daph are you even listening to anything I'm saying" Bunny snaps at me, I shake out of my daze and look at her.

"Huh?"

"Oh my Panem Daph you're such a bimbo" she giggles.

"Am not!" I protest "Was just distracted that's all"

"By what?" she asks turning around to face the way I was just looking "Oh" she sighs knowingly "I see". In my line of sight is one of the many ranches on our walk home from the egg packing plant where we both work. Out amongst the bulls are the ranch hands, mostly young men, shirts off and sweat dripping down their bodies in the warm evening's heat.

"Oh my" Bunny sighs again.

"I know" I reply, my eyes focused further in the field, on one specific person.

"We should go say hello" Bunny chuckles "come on Daph" she rushes over to the fence and leans on it squishing her boobs between her elbows as she does so. I follow her and copy her, keeping my eyes fixed across the field as I do so. Wondering if a certain person has spotted me and hoping they haven't.

It doesn't take long for one of the boys to see us however, he saunters over and tilts his Stetson "howdy ladies" he says with a wink towards Bunny.

She giggles "names Bunny"

"Buck"

The two begin to flirt but I'm not paying attention any more as the object of my gaze moves around, I don't want to lose her again. Not now, after all these years.

She checks each of the bulls in turn as she moves stiffly around the field. My eyes drift where I know they shouldn't. From the way her waist shows between her tight denim shorts and vest top to her cleavage peaking over her tight black top. She was quite a distance away but I'm kinda sure she wasn't wearing a bra. This wasn't right, this wasn't fair. Why was my brain doing this to me, why was SHE doing this to me? Why did I find Clarissa Longhorn, dare I even think it, sexy!

"Daph" calls Bunny tapping my shoulder "What do you think?"

"Huh?" I say spinning around to face them.

"Bucks invited us to a party, tonight at the large barn by the ranch. Want to go?" Bunny says, her eyes pleading me to say yes.

"We allowed to go in there?" I ask, unsure.

"Weren't you listening ya bimbo, Bucks pa owns the place" she chuckles punching my softly on the arm. I notice the two of them are holding hands now. I hope that Buck realises Bunny isn't going to let go for a long time to come.

"Oh" I reply, unsure of what to say.

She chuckles again "excuse my friend she was just distracted by your friends. They all going to be there too I suppose"

"Of course lovely" Buck replies "All the staff are invited, they usually all turn up too."

"Even Clarisse?" I find myself asking before shutting my stupid mouth.

Buck looks over his shoulder and then back to us "I suppose" he replies with a smirk and a chuckle, "but she probably won't bother to show"

Bunny strains her eyes to look over the field; she squints in that way that shows she's thinking hard. "Clarisse" she mutters to herself before exclaiming "Clarisse Longhorn, that strange girl from school? Didn't we once..."

"Yea" I reply interrupting her, "Just spotted her over there, didn't know she was still around this end of the district"

"I heard she'd moved away to work in a pig sty" Bunny giggles, "always so strange" she scowls before smoothing her face out again "We better go get ready for tonight then" she says to Buck, with a flutter of her eyelashes.

"Till later ladies" he responds replacing his hat and turning to run across the field, shouting instructions to the other men as he does so.

Bunny looks at me, she's annoyed I can tell, she'll get over it though. "Daph why'd you go and bring up weird Clarisse ya blonde bimbo" she sighs "you distracted Buck from me"

"I don't know, sometimes I speak without thinking" I sigh as I try to force the image of her cleavage from my mind "Sorry"

"Don't worry about it, I've got plenty of time to impress Buck tonight." She says "ugh I love that name. Buck, Buck, Buck" she begins to skip down the road and I have to jog to keep up.

Reaching the point in the road where we split to head home she gives me a hug and I find myself as usual far too aware of her breasts. Stupid. "Bring a dress with some cleavage" she tells me "we gonna get laid tonight"

Three hours later and I'm back at that same road junction. I see Bunny has taken her own advice in a short navy dress I've seen before but with three inches or so off the top.

"You only just done that?" I ask her

"yea" she replies "do you think Buck will like?"

"I think Buck won't take his eyes off you"

"Perfect", she looks me up and down in my favourite fluffy lilac dress she's seen a hundred times before. She nods approvingly "you look good too."

The party is good fun, Buck's family must have a bit of cash to spare as someone is grilling some beef on a large fire and there's a steady supply of wine and beer from One and Nine. At the top end of the barn is a large stereo system which is pumping out some heavy music that must have been created by a capitol band.

I soon loose Bunny to Buck and find myself alone. Usually I'm surrounded by friends but none of them seem to have been invited as none of them live in the ranching sector. But I know how to socialise and make my way around the party, soon finding myself a group of guys to flirt with. They don't really get me though and once they move on I find some girls. They just ignore me though as they continue to talk about cows and beef. _Ugh_ I think to myself, _ranchers. _

Again I find myself alone and choose to wait for Bunny to find me at the back of the barn. I grab a fresh beer and lean in a dark corner away from the looks and giggles that I had become aware were aimed at my dress. Thinking about it I did stand out a bit from the tight jeans and plain colours that surrounded me. These girls didn't care that this was the latest capitol style or that I'd spent hours making it from pictures in magazines. Sometimes I wish I'd been born in District Eight. I begin to sit down.

"Oft watch where you're going" a voice speaks and I realise I'm about to sit on someone.

"oh sor.." I begin before I see her "Hey Clarisse" I say "urm.. long time huh?"

"yeah, it's been a while since we spoke" she says straightly, her voice not wavering like mine.

"Didn't think you still lived round here" I say noticing how muscled her arms are "Thought you moved away after..." I don't finish my sentence through embarrassment. I was a bitch back then and I didn't want to remember.

"Well we needed the money so I got a job" she shrugs "not got much time for school and socialising with work ya know"

"You're here tonight" I try, I notice she's wearing the same shorts she was wearing in the field, but this time with a looser fitting top.

"Didn't have much choice really, Buck told us we all had to come"

"Oh" I say, before there is a moment of silence "I'm here with Bunny" I add.

"Yeah, I saw the two of you come in"

"Oh so you were watching us" I ask with a touch more flirtation than I should be adding.

"Can't miss you in that dress" she says.

"It's Capitol Couture" I respond bluntly

"If you say so" Clarisse replies. I begin to suspect she's getting bored of me, but I don't want to go just yet. This is the most fun I've had all evening. I try a new tactic and turn the conversation back towards her.

"So how's your family?" I try; I remember he parents from years ago her mother looking tired, but keeping strong and her father. Well Clarisse's father always used to scare me, wide manic eyes and unpredictable speech.

"Broke" she replies bluntly "Dad gambled our ranch away and now I work here for barely any money for Buck's family. That enough family history for ya?!"

"Oh" I respond "I didn't know"

"Of course you didn't, it happened around the time you decided you were too good for me!" she shouts, I'm grateful for the loud music blocking her yells from the rest of the party.

"I never..." I begin to protest but she continues

"That night after you pulled that horrible trick on me, I went home in tears to find that I no longer had a home as Mance had come round to take it from my family. All over a stupid game of cards." She looks distressed at the memory. "All I wanted to do was cry and be comforted by my mother but no. I had to be the strong one, when I felt my weakest."

I'm speechless for a moment, I knew the prank was cruel, I've regretted it every day since it happened. But I never knew this. I'd never thought to ask.

"I'm sorry" I all I can manage "I'm so sorry, I was young and stupid. Forgive me?"

"No" she snaps "I can't, my life was ruined that day, thanks to you. I dropped out of school and got this job and I've been here ever since and now you turn up in that ridiculous dress and try to act like my friend again."

"It's been a long time since that day" I respond "I've grown up!"

"No you haven't, you still latch onto the strongest person you can find because you're weak Daphne. You latched onto me when we were kids as I was big and protected you from the bullies, but once they let you in their gang then you dropped me and latched onto Bunny. You're a sheep Daphne."

"Fuck you" I snap back "What was I suppose to do let them pick on me instead"

"You we're supposed to stand up for your friend Daphne, but you don't know how to do that do you?"

I'm silent, as my mind rushes back to that day. It had started simply enough as me and Clarisse had decided to spend a hot summers day near the end of the games three years ago swimming in the lake. Well it's more of a muddy pool really, but in the heat of District Ten it's a popular spot. I'd been on my way to meet Clarisse when Bunny and her entourage had appeared at the end of the road facing me.

I'd expected them to start on me, throw stones call out names the usual grief me and Clarisse got. But today was different. Bunny had called out to me as a friend; she'd included me and introduced me to the others. I found myself in a group of girls I'd only ever dreamed of speaking to. Bunny invited me to join their group and of course I'd said yes and of course I asked if Clarisse could join too.

They'd said no, but I was weak, like I still am I suppose and I was desperate to be accepted. All I had to do was pretend everything was normal as I swam with Clarisse. I did it too, we hugged and we stripped down and jumped into the murky water. As planned, as we swam and bathed, Bunny and co snuck down to the water's edge and stole her clothes. I jumped out and ran off with my stuff in hand. Soon I found myself hidden next to Bunny as she sniggered. Clarisse climbed out of the water, she looked confused and I remember noticing her vest top had become see-through revealing her nipples. I had gasped and tried to stand up to protect my friend but Bunny had gripped my arm and held me down. As we watched a barefooted Clarisse run away from the lake and out of my life I realised what a mistake I'd made.

I still find myself unable to speak as the memory draws to a close, yet Clarisse still stands there. There's a tear in her eye and she grips my arm tightly.

"I'm so sorry" Is all I can repeat "I didn't think." I pull my arm away from her hand.

"I loved you Daph" she tells me "not like a friend or even a sister. I loved you in a way you'll never understand. You destroyed that love that day and I hope you are destroyed too." She hisses before walking away. She makes it about five paces before stopping. _Maybe she'll turn around_ I think _maybe she'll apologise, maybe I'll tell her that I love her too._

"Good luck next week." She says calmly "I hope the odds are in your favour."

THE DAY OF THE REAPING

**Syrio Flowers POV:**

I chuckle to myself as Cornelius Wellington, District Tens new mentor shuffles onto stage. He's new to the mentoring circuit and I must admit I gave him Ten as a bit of a challenge. If you can pull off a successful reaping in the depths of Ten, you can do it anywhere.

The crowd chuckle as the short man mounts the stage. He looks sweltering hot in a sheepskin coat and top hat bellow which hung a bush of gray hair.

"Hello, hello all" he chuckles, a touch of the effeminate in his voice "how exciting to be here at my first reaping"

"Man lover" calls out a deep male voice and there is a chuckle from the crowd, this is closely followed by a click of a gun from a peacekeeper on the gantry.

Cornelius looks terrified and is silent for a moment before putting the grin back on his face. "I'll pick a nice young gentleman first" he tells the crowd, who this time remain silent. I'm impressed at how Cornelius kept his cool there, maybe there's hope for the little man yet.

He has to step on a large box to retrieve the slip from the bowl and I let out a chuckle. This was a perfect way of livening up a usually dull reaping I think.

"Falco Tak-ai" he pronounces slowly looking with a furrowed brow down to the crowd. A skinny kid with ashen skin is pushed forwarded by a larger boy. He wears his hair long in a pony tail and he seems to be shaking as he makes his way up to the stage. He seems like an interesting character I think, but I don't think he's a fighter.

Cornelius jumps off his box and pushes it over to the girls bowl where he clambers back up to the bowl. "A lucky lady then" he says a little out of breath as he reaches into the bowl.

"Clarisse Longhorn"

A tall muscular girl emerges from the back of the crowd, wearing a dress that is far too small but reveals her muscles well. She keeps a strong face, blank of emotion.

As Cornelius asks the two of them to shake hands she looks out at the crowd and after a moment of thought she opens her mouth. "Daphne I'm doing this for you" she calls out. The camera cuts to eleven before I can see who Daphne is or why she was worth a mention. I send off a quick e-mail to Cornelius telling him to keep me informed before focussing in our penultimate reaping.


	12. District Eleven Reapings

A WEEK BEFORE THE GAMES

**Kurota Hunt's POV:**

I wake up to find my little brother Durian's stinky foot shoved in the direction of my nose. I splutter and cough as I push it away from me, noticing that a hole has formed around his big toe. Again. I guess that will be another chore for me to do come wash day. I shove it out of my face waking him up in the process, he murmurs something and turns over going back to sleep.

The sun has risen so I clamber out of our shared bed and pull my scruffy hair up into a bun before wiping over my grubby face and body with cold water and pulling on my shorts and shirt. After deciding that I've let him have enough of a lie in I head back over to his bed and shake his foot.

"Mungth" is the reply I receive from a rather sleepy thirteen year old. "Wasn't it just bedtime? It can't be morning already can it?" he asks.

"'Fraid so" I reply, "We gotta be out the door soon too" I rub my eyes and look around our small home, noticing the still wide open door of our parents room, the sheets on their bed untouched. Back in our small room, which is also the only other room in the house bar the shed of a lavatory that we share with our neighbours, Durian has fallen back asleep. I head over to him and rip the sheet from the bed and dump it on the dusty floor. "Up please" I beg "we can't be late, not again or we'll be fired and probably starve to death!"

"Ugh" he groans as he swings his feet out of bed and plods slowly towards the bowl of water I'd been using all morning, he splashes some water on his face and looks up at me "Breakfast?" he asks hopefully. He's a growing boy I suppose, always so hungry. Unfortunately we didn't have any food in and the next tesserae ration wasn't due till after the reaping. I wasn't looking forward to that either we'd be back on the lower amount of food as Cane's year of victory come to an end.

"There's some bread under a sheet on the side" I tell him as I take the water that we'd been using to wash and pour it down the sink. The fifth washes away as I dry off the bowl and slip it under the sink. I grab the other half of the bread that Durian is munching on and follow him out of the door slipping on my shoes as I do. I hope he realises that this is the last of the refined grain, its tesserae mush from now on.

We walk mostly in silence towards the lettuce fields where we spend our days picking, but once we reach the boundary of our workplace Durian lights up he rushes over to where the younger kids wait. I smile as I watch him open up; he's greeted by his friends as they get to work. Picking bugs from the precious vegetables and chatting away. I wonder what he tells them and why he never talks to me that way.

"Hey Kuro" says my friend Maizie joining me in the line for bug repellent, "you have a nice evening?"

"Just made some mush, put Durian to bed, baked some bread and fell asleep myself. You know the usual" I say with a sigh as we collect our repellent from the foreman.

"Parents still not home?" she asks, I made the mistake of telling her a few weeks back that my parents weren't around much and she's been asking about them everyday since.

I shake my head, and begin to spray the lettuce, as we stroll along the rows of vegetables. "I keep expecting them just to show up you know" I say. She nods in agreement, though I know her mother's waiting at home with her baby siblings and he father works in the same field as us.

"Their earning a load though" I add defensively "and they send some of it home too"

"Yeah" she replies and that ends our conversation for a while.

I can see why she's unsure about it, two kids living on our own shouldn't be allowed. If the authorities were to find out or more to the point care, they'd ship us off to the community home and I can't deal with that. For me or Durian. So I've been battling on supporting us both and hoping they'll come home soon. Lunch time comes around quickly today and my brother leaves his group of friends and comes over to me expectantly. I shake my head.

"But all we've had today is that bread" he says, trying to keep calm.

"We got stuff at home" I tell him "we'll eat tonight"

"Yeah weeds and grain" he says "always weeds and grain. If mom and dad we're here we could eat real food."

I stretch out and slap my brothers face, he is taken aback, startled for a moment. He holds his face and scowls up at me, tears forming in his eyes. I go to apologise but I can't people are watching now and I can't appear weak.

"Well there not here are they" I whisper "Don't talk back to me like that little brother" I tell him in a louder voice. He shakes his head and sulks away back towards his group of friends who all crowd around him giving him hugs and offering him morsels of their lunch. I sink on the ground and curl my knees towards my chest, where I am joined again by Maizie.

"Bit harsh?" she asks passing me a small chunk of bread. I shake my head.

"I don't deserve bread" I say, but she shoves it further into my hand.

"When did they last send you money?" she asks and I shrug "don't remember but we're managing."

"You're starving Kuro" she sighs sympathetically "maybe you should tell someone", I nibble on her bread as she speaks.

"No!" I exclaim "With mine and his tesserae and wages we're managing. Anyway in two more years I'll be paid an adult wage and who knows maybe even find a husband to support us"

"If you don't get reaped first" she sighs morbidly, and I punch her in the shoulder.

"Don't even joke" I say "Stuff like that isn't funny"

"You got a violent streak Kuro" she says rubbing her shoulder "maybe you could win it"

"Yeah right and end up like Cane or Willow. Emotional wrecks with far too much money" I reply, I finish my bread and look back over to my little brother, laughing again. "Face it Mazie" I add "it's better to die than turn into that."

**Fitch Landry's POV:**

I find my breath becoming heavier as I reach for the door handle to Calypso's home; the stink of alcohol radiating from the door brings a sickness to my throat. The disgusting smell only increases the anger I feel as I let myself in. In the front room sits Calypso's mother swigging from a bottle of something, practically unconscious on their couch.

"Baby Girl" I call into the back room as I step into it, sat on the bed in the rooms darkness is Calypso my one and only. She's tall and skinny with darker skin than her mothers and mine. "Get dressed" I tell her "We've got places to be"

She nods meekly, slips on a cardigan and stands up beginning to follow me. I hold my arm out and stop her; looking at her tattered trousers I push her sharply back into her room.

"Put on a skirt" I tell her "we're seeing civilised people today"

She nods again and slips back into her room grabbing a tatty old skirt and changing quickly. She steps out into the light and I slap her arse, she stops still for a moment before continuing to walk and I can't help but smile, baby girl learns quickly. We walk quickly past her intoxicated wreck of a mother and heading out into the fresh air.

Cally reaches to hold my hand but I pull away "we gotta look professional tonight babe" I tell her. She nods meekly and holds her head high as we make our way through the houses and shacks of our neighbourhood.

"Tonight's important" I tell her "I could make some real money tonight babe, get us both out of the shacks"

"I know that Fitch" she says with a sweet little smile, the first words she's said to me all evening, I slap her pretty little ass again.

"Me and you babe, rich" I say with a gleeful smile as we head out of the light that surrounds the many homes of this area of District Eleven and into the warehouse district. Slipping into one marked with a large image of a potato we're met with a stink of sweet smoke and confronted by a large man with a knife.

"Password" he growls as he eyes up Cally, his large brown eyes taking in my woman's body like it was his to share.

"Weedkiller" I respond pushing the flat side of the knife out of my face "Rooster this is Cally, she's with me."

"What happened to this one Landry" Rooster asks me, stepping towards us, still waving his ridiculous knife around "You scratch that pretty little face boy?" he gestures to the large scar above her eye with his knife.

"Nah she got that when she was a kid, didn't you babe" I say poking her with my elbow and making her step forward, she nods.

"Yea. A thresher got me. When I was a kid."

Rooster looks happy and nods, "welcome to the love den then kids" he says stepping aside. I roll my eyes and leave the dumb doorman and his daft little knife standing guard. Around the barn are a number of groups of people, talking loudly and doing stuff the head peacekeeper would not approve of. The barn is hot tonight; with the heat of all these bodies mixed with the summer evening some of the men and women have gone topless. Cally looks around and mumbles something under her breath.

"What is it babe" I ask gripping her shoulder tightly "you're not going to bail on me are you?"

"No, no" she says "just thinking"

"What!?" I ask gripping my fist; she tenses up with the pain I'm dealing her

"Is this place legal?" she whispers and I chuckle

"No babe, it isn't. But I wouldn't go shouting that out. People round here can be a little touchy, like Rooster"

She nods "of course" we make it too the back of the room where on a pile of hessian sacks lays Sante. He's surrounded by a number of topless women and girls.

"This the new girl?" he says with a nod towards Cally, pushing one of the girls crawling over his legs away and standing to his feet. He steps towards us and looks me in the eye, "that scars a bit memorable isn't it?"

"We can hide it with her hair or dirt or something" I say as he steps towards Cally and circles her, arriving back at her front he turns back to me "is she fast?"

"Yea and sneaky, quiet too, doesn't really say much" I answer and Cally looks towards me, fear in her eyes. I curl my mouth into a little smile towards her. "Great tits too" I add.

Sante laughs and turns back to his women, "Cara come over here" he calls and one of the topless women strides over and flicks her hair over her shoulder.

"yea babe" she says "what you want."

"Take urm..." he freezes and looks at me to supply my girl's name

"Cally" I tell him

"Take Cally here to find a drink or something while we chat" he says, Cara nods, grabs Callys hand and walks her away from us. She looks nervously over her shoulder back at me but is soon drawn into whatever Cara is telling her.

"She seems nervous" Sante says, "Dunbar she seem nervous to you?"

Dunbar steps forward, his muscles seem to have grown since I saw him last, Rooster may think he's the muscle around here but he's got nothing on Dunbar.

"She seems nervous boss" he says "does she even know what we're doing here?" he asks Sante and Dunbar look at me expectantly and I can't find a lie in me.

"She'll be fine with it; girl does whatever I ask her to" I say with a shrug.

"So you're beating on this one too?" Dunbar says his eyes not blinking as he glares at me.

I hold up my hands "didn't think I was on trial here guys, what does it matter if I get the shit moved."

"It's not shit" Dunbar states his gruff voice growing angry "it's good stuff"

"Dunbar down boy" laughs Sante, Dunbar backs away "Go get us some drinks" he orders and the large man moves away in the direction that Cally and Cara went earlier.

"You know what we're trying to do here, don't you?" he asks.

"Sell drugs" I say with a shrug, slightly distracted by two of Cara's friends making out beside of me.

"We're staging a revolution my friend" he says "one magic plant at a time" he pulls out a bag of the product, a little dried plant that only Sante in one of his weird ass moods would ever think to try and smoke. "it's more natural than morphling, cheaper too. No need for needles or pills all you gotta do is smoke."

"I get your point, I can sell it easy, Cally will be a perfect sales girl, all dopey eyed and sympathetic. Before you know it all of the Shacks will be looking to you as their saviour."

Sante laughs again as Dunbar returns with three drinks smuggles in from district nine. "to the business" I say as I hold up my drink "the business" the others add as we clink glasses.

**Syrio Flowers' POV:**

I shuffle on my chair as District Eleven comes onto my screen. I know I'm reaching the end and I'm excited to get the games going. But first we have to get through the reapings of two more districts, we have to learn the names of and see the faces of four dull kids who are going to die.

Saying that District eleven has had a run of luck recently with three young victors standing on the stage alongside Whent the old man whose been a part of the victor lineup for as long as I can remember. I'm under strict orders that eleven doesn't bring home another Victor this year and this is one order from the president I'm not going to ignore. I see her point, eleven are getting to compfortable too sure of themselves with all that extra food they've been getting over there recently.

Stood next to Whent is the districts escort a tall pale and blonde man by the name of Peron whose bright white teeth shine bright through the darkness of the district.

"Welcome one and all" he calls brightly "I'm excited to draw some tributes are you?"

There is a murmur of agreement from the terrified crowd and Peron strides over to the left hand bowl "Ladies first" he says with a gleeful smile. A moment later he has a slip in his hand. He opens it.

"Calypso West"

There is silence from the crowd until from the back of the female section there is a movement. Calypso is a tall muscular girl, she keeps her head down so I can't see her face as she moves slowly up to the stage. She eventually reaches the stage and Peron lifts her face up towards the crowd who lightly applaud. I look closer and notice a large scar over one of her eyes, maybe that means she's a fighter I think. Then remember that eleven can't win this year so banish the thought from my mind.

"Boys" smiles Peron as he quickly grabs a male slip "Durian Hunt" he calls out.

There is a scream from the female section as a young and very skinny kid boy steps quickly up to the stage, he's shaking. No one replaces him and the camera cuts out, bringing us finally to District Twelve.


	13. District Twelve Reapings

A WEEK BEFORE THE GAMES:

**Rand Otero's POV:**

I was in the middle of watching a repeat of last year's hunger games when the call came in. I could tell that it was important as it was coming straight from headquarters back in District Two. I'd panicked at fist and asked about my family's safety, but all was well back home. Apparently there had been some re-structuring over in District Twelve and I was to pack up my stuff and get on the next train over there. I was getting a promotion.

_Some promotion_ I'd thought as I'd packed up my stuff in District Five where at least the people had some brains. I'd jumped on the next train to my new post later that same afternoon, with little time to say farewell to the few people I knew there. Now here I was stuck in my new room in the base, some young cadet saluting me and welcoming me to my new post as head peacekeeper in District Twelve.

I was lucky in that I had one old acquaintance here, I'd almost forgotten about Audri and the years we'd spent training together back in Two. She apparently hadn't forgotten me though as moments after the young welcoming cadet had saluted and left she burst into the room.

"Rand after all these years" She says with a smile as she tries to embrace me.

"Don't be so familiar Audri" I tell her "Unless you've already gone native on me" I add a chuckle but she's already stepped back away from me.

She smiles a sly smile "You have no idea sir" she tells me "But come to mine this evening and I'll show how it works around here"

* * *

I'm unsure as to what Audri possibly had to share with me that couldn't be done in the safety of the barracks but I find myself knocking on her door at precisely 1900 that evening.

The door is opened by a muscular young lad dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. He looks better fed than the other wretches I've seen around here and he holds himself well. For a moment I feel like I'm back home surrounded by strength not weakness and it feels good.

"May I help you sir" he asks, as he notices the insignia on my uniform.

"I'm here to see Audri Pedro" I say "This is her residence isn't it?" I add, unsure as to why there would be a young District Twelve male in her house.

"Of course sir" he answers "I'll go find her. Please step inside."

I step in and shut the door sharply behind me. The boy disappears into a back room and I hear a chuckle "Always prompt Rand" Audi calls from a back room, "come through and I'll introduce you to Chock properly"

I step through into the back room and find Audri lounging on a couch and not in her uniform. Curled up beside her is the boy who answered the door.

"That's Chock I presume" I say, taking in the male fully, beyond his perfectly styled hair and painted face is a youngish boy who I'd say would probably be just about reaping age still.

"Sure is babe" she smiles, sitting up and running her hand up and down the lads leg "come sit down".

"That's against regulation Pedro, I could report you for it" I say remaining standing.

Audri stands up and bites her lip seductively "Chock babe, go grab us some drinks"

"Of course" he says and disappears quickly out of the room.

"Fraternisation is strictly against the rules Pedro" I tell her "Isn't that why I'm here after all?" I ask referring to my predecessor. I'd heard during the day that he'd been removed for fornication with one of the women.

"Kerr was foolish, let one of those stupid women kick up a fuss. He was history the moment she started parading her baby around. Claiming it was his" she says rising to her feet "this is how we do it round here. They need us to survive."

"I don't need them" I say "It's a repulsive occupation and I'm appalled at you Audri"

"Chock" she calls and for a moment I think she's going to have him attempt to attack me. She can't be that foolish though, I know I could easily kill the boy and she knows it too.

"Yes Audri" he says appearing around a corner.

"Tell the head peacekeeper how you like it here with me" she tells him and he steps into the room.

"I love it here sir" he tells me standing perfectly at attention with all the discipline of one of the young trainees back home. "Audri has fed and clothed me. If it weren't for her I would surely be dead." As he speaks Audri walks around him in a circle taking in every aspect of his body. She's practically drooling.

"What exactly do you do in return boy" I order.

"Whatever she asks me to Sir" he replies head held high. Not a flicker of fear in his eyes though he must surely know I could order him dead in an instant. Her too.

"Sexual?" I spit the question in his face.

"Yes sir" he responds without flinching once.

"One last question boy, how old are you?"

"Eighteen sir, only one more reaping left" he says a glimmer of hope in his eyes; he thinks he's safe doesn't he. He actually thinks Audri can keep him safe.

**Laurel Siyuri's POV:**

When I return to the slums just off the District centre I find my front door wide open. I've probably been robbed again, though it doesn't worry me. Surely the local kids must know by now that there's nothing here.

"Quinn" I call, on the off chance my daughter is home. There is predictably no reply, she's probably off somewhere sulking about life and hardships and stuff while I buy her food with my hard earned cash. I slip off my threadbare shoes and sink down onto the grubby mattress that I share with my daughter. From down here I can see what a disgrace our home is. Filth lines the floor and I catch the movement of a rat in the far corner. I can't stand it any longer so I close my eyes and let myself drift out of this world.

"Laurel" the sound of my name wakes me up and I open my eyes to come face to face with the cool grey eyes of Ryker. He looks dashing in his crisp white Peacekeepers suit; I smile invitingly and open my legs for him.

"I can't Laurel" he says "not today"

"But I need that money Ryker" I beg "the price of food just keeps rising"

"I shouldn't even be here" he mutters "we've got a new head peacekeeper or didn't you hear"

"I heard" I respond cooly, I knew they sent the other one away after the whole baby fiasco. But why should that effect mine and Ryker's agreement. Peacekeepers come and go all the time, and yet the situation for people in my profession stays the same.

"Yh and he's not too happy with what he's calling the situation here in twelve"

"Situation?" I ask though I have a feeling I know where he's going with this.

"Prostitution" he states simply, after a moment he continues "Audri Pedro told him everything. Foolish woman thought he'd take it better from her as they grew up together."

"And?"

"He didn't take it well at all, she's been thrown in the brig back at base and her lads been put in the stocks in the centre. The hunt has begun."

I had noticed a young lad tied to a post in the centre of town as I'd passed though. Hadn't thought much of it, kids are always doing stupid stuff to get punished round here.

"So you're ending things with me?" I ask, I knew this would all come to an end eventually after his twenty years in twelve came to an end. But not like this, how was I going to survive now?

"Till this all blows over yes" he responds.

"And how am I supposed to feed my daughter." I ask suddenly angry that he can just leave me like this "How am I supposed to keep OUR daughter alive Ryker""

He sulks away towards the door "I'll find a way Laurel. I promise" I scowl as he disappears mans made me promises before, ones he could never keep. I curl up into a ball and begin to cry. He'd been so loving and kind when I'd met him eighteen years ago. I had been living off whatever I could beg or steal and he caught me. He could have had me whipped or killed even but he took pity on me and we struck up a deal. I would satisfy him and he would feed me, I would satisfy his friends and they would pay me. Then came my daughter Quinn could have been Ryker's daughter or not but he stayed by us. Now I have a feeling it's all over.

* * *

The next time the door opens it's the middle of the night and I prepare myself to fight the intruder. Instead I see my daughter standing in the room where we live, her black hair is shorter than it was last time I saw her and there is a new scar above her deep gray eyes. I decide not to ask.

"Oh your home" my daughter seems shocked. I know where she thought I'd be, it's where I thought I would be too.

"Couldn't find work tonight" I tell her "we've got a new head peacekeeper"

"oh" she says beginning to open cupboards in an attempt to find food.

"How was your day?" I try

She shrugs "got a hair cut"

"Yeah I can see that" I reply relived that she's in a talking mood tonight "Who did it for you?"

"Just some girl down the hob" she responds "she owed me"

"What for?" I question, I've met my daughter before, she didn't just do favours for people on the off chance they would cut her hair later. Quinn can be cruel and uncaring, personality traits probably taken from her District Two heritage.

"Look it doesn't matter okay, I'm off" she says and with that she leaves our home again. I sigh and throw myself back onto the mattress. Maybe this time I'll be able to get a few more hours sleep.

THE DAY OF THE REAPING:

**Rand Otero's POV:**

I greet Mimi Felix as she climbs off the train; I take her hand and help her step down from the platforms edge. "It's always a pleasure to greet and escort as fine as yourself madam" I say.

"You're new aren't you" she responds keeping her poise like a perfect Capitol lady "May I enquire as to your name?"

"Rand miss" I respond as we begin to make our way through the district "and yes I only got off the train myself a week ago." We walk through a residential area and I see the twitching of curtains and a child runs to hide from us.

"I hear that you're already doing your best to clean up this cess pool" she comments, news travels fast in the capitol I think, or she's been given a briefing on me. "Starting with the prostitution trade I believe"

"Yes miss" I respond "I.." she cuts me off with a wave of her hand.

"Call me Mimi, Rand." She says with a smile, I return it.

"Of course Mimi, I've started with the bad eggs in my own team, shipping those who fraternise back to District Two and by punishing those who engage in the profession publically"

We step into the District Centre and I feel Mimi tense up at the sight, around the square trussed up in the stocks are a number of women I'd caught in the act and Audri's boy who's been here all week, his body is bruised from the punishment. Around them my men continue to work setting up for the reaping as if nothing was out of the normal here.

"Oh my" gasps Mimi as we rush though the centre and into the justice building "I hope they won't be here later"

"Of course not" I respond as we reach the chamber where she will wait until the reaping and pour her a drink "They are being moved in a few hours"

She takes a sip of the drink and stares towards the window "These lower born district folk never get the message though do they she sighs"

"My thoughts exactly" I respond "I need to send a clear and loud message Mimi, send one to the people of the district that this behaviour cannot be tolerated."

"Sounds delightfully exciting, I can't wait to hear your message Rand." She responds with a little squeal of excitement, and I smile.

"Or you could be the one delivering it Mimi."

**Syrio Flower's POV:**

Onto the stage steps Mimi Felix showing off her new cat ears to the less than appreciative crowd bellow.

"Oh I am positive this will be one of our best reapings yet District twelve, what do you think?" she purrs out into the crowd. There is a murmur from the crowd. "Boys first" she continues and saunters over to the reaping bowl. She reaches down and whips out a slip.

"Chock Harefield" she announces to the crowd a smile on her lips, she flips the slip back into the bowl, something I've never seen an escort do before. Very irregular.

Chock emerges from the section filled with the eldest boys in the district, he's actually rather handsome in the traditional sense. Swept back blonde hair and large muscles, he looks tired though as all mine workers do. He steps onto the stage with a wobble and no-one replaces him.

"Girls now" Mimi chuckles as she prances over to the second bowl, she whips out a slip from the top of the bowl and reads out a name "Quinn Siyuri".

Quinn steps up to stage visibly shaking, as she does so Mimi returns the slip to the bowl as she did for the boy and I ponder for a moment whose names were really on those slips.

The camera cuts back to the studio and I'm greeted with an image of Nina and Marius are grinning from ear to ear and expressing their excitement. Two volunteers from none career districts, a young couple in love, a victor's son and a good mixture of ages and abilities. They can't wait for the games to begin and neither can I.


	14. Tribute Roundup

**So here they are your Standing Alone Tributes:**

District 1 Mentored by Glitta Darling and Mace Lime and Escorted by Livilla Mount

M Price Platinum (17)

F Alexandria Santos (14)

District 2 Mentored by Nero Petronus and Valda Garcia and Escorted by Tertia Olden

M Titus Mason (18)

F Ameythist Swift (17)

District 3 Mentored by Gadge Jobs and Flash Dublin and Escorted by Elvio Bumble

M Fuse Zapa (17)

F Pexey Bones (15)

District 4 Mentored by Marena Beall and Salton Darter and Escorted by Roxanna Glass

M Troy Caspian (17)

F Monique Steel (15)

District 5 Mentored by Foster Plax and Zippina Kirk and Escorted by Calix Lemay

M Baelfire Jones (16)

F Viola Wattson (17)

District 6 Mentored by Aden Hanran and Savera Mason and Escorted by Char Royal

M Colten "Coley" Hanran (12)

F Bianca Marin (17)

District 7 Mentored by Rowan Bane and Ivy Vine and Escorted by Nymphaluna Fay

M Aspen Dionne (14)

F Charity Greenwood (14)

District 8 Mentored by Jute Mallot and Twyla Gatlin and Escorted by Sors Flick

M Laercio Migan (18)

F Cheyen 'Chey' Locke (18)

District 9 Mentored by Miller Ghram and Kasha Blackwood and Escorted by Lush Fuci

M Buck Grant (16)

F Arya Goren (17)

District 10 Mentored by Bulla Worthing and Talon Wayland and Escorted by Cornelius Wellington

M Falco Takahi (14)

F Clarisse Longhorn (18)

District 11 Mentored by Cane Wilkes and Willow Dash and Escorted by Peron Evens

M Durian Hunt (13)

F Calypso West (17)

District 12 Mentored by Primrose Hawthorne and Quintus Myro and Escorted by Mimi Felix

M Chock Harefield (18)

F Quinn Siyuri (18)

**Let the games begin**


	15. Training Day One

_A/N: I never mentioned in my last two chapters how much I love the new trailer! But yeah it's awesome. As for the story I'm going to skip the goodbye's and train rides and chariot rides and just jump pretty much straight into the training days._

* * *

AFTER THE PARADE:

**Syrio Flowers POV:**

As the final chariot pulled into the Training centre doors I breathed a sigh of relief. It's always a make or break event the chariot rides to show if the people love our tributes. This year they certainly do. The strength that came from the upper districts and some of the stories from the lower ones that are beginning to filter through to our airwaves are particularly intriguing.

I've locked myself in my office to go through the official files on each tribute trying to sort the rumour from the truth as far as these twenty four go. The lovebirds from district eight stand out for me especially as one of them is the son of the mayor there. Then there's the girl from One who was adopted after her parents were executed for having rebel propaganda in their home.

Of course not every tribute has a thrilling story we can share with the capitol but that doesn't necessarily matter. The girl from Five works in a bakery there to support her mother and sister, the girl from Seven has some kind of mental problem, the boy from Three is some kind of genius and sure the lad from District Nine doesn't have the most exciting life ever, but he still looks strong and who know how the games may favour him.

_Yes _I think _we have an interesting lot this year_, though I must admit I would quite like to see how some of them would work together, how a career pack would function with the pair from Two hating each other's guts? What other strange alliances the tributes could find themselves in? I place my head in my hands and sigh.

"You're an idiot Flowers"

"I couldn't have worded it better myself" the voice of President Snow the third speaks to me. _Of course_ I think _I can't lock the door on her_. I stand up and bow towards her, noticing that already I'm beginning to perspire with nervousness. She doesn't usually come and speak to me unless I've done something wrong.

"How may I help you Madam?" I ask as I rub my hands together to force them dry again.

"I have a few ... concerns about one of your tributes, there's been some stories coming to me from District Three. What do you know about the girl?" she asks striding around the room and examining my notes laid out on my desk,

I wrack my brain for any information I can remember about the girl from Three, "Names Pexey Bones," I say "she's 15 I think, lives with parents, no siblings." I pause "That's about it I'm afraid".

"He father has just been executed for stealing classified information from his work. I've been informed by my head peacekeeper there that a whole terrorist cell was uncovered soon after the reaping." She stops pacing and looks at me "I can't have that little brat winning Syrio"

"Of course ma'am but may I say, she's little and weak, probably not going to make it past the bloodbath."

"Ensure it Flowers" she orders "I'm not having another mess like last year."

"Of course" I respond "May I ask if you have a particular favourite this year?" I ask, maybe if I can engineer one of her picks to win she'll overlook any little hic-ups.

She pauses for a moment and thinks it over "The boy from one has some promise and the pair from two seem strong."

"The girl from one?" I ask quietly "What about her?"

"The spawn of traitors" she says venomously "how she'd lived to the age of fourteen I'll never know" she waves her hand in dismissal and begins to exit the room, obviously bored with me now. I bow as she does so and lock the door behind her. Can't a man get any peace around here?

* * *

FIRST DAY OF TRAINING:

**Byte James' POV:**

I wake up with Pexey's face in my mind, her scared eyes her forced smile and bizarre outfit she'd been squeezed into as they paraded her through the Capitol on that chariot. Like the rest of us here in Three she's already pretty thin in appearance but that skin tight cat suit weaved from wires and circuits looked like it was hurting her. Fuse hadn't fared too well either in his matching outfit, though his looked less tight. He smiled in a more relaxed manner and even gave the crowd a few waves. No one ever cares about District Three though and much of the attention of the crowd seemed to go to the tributes from One, Two and Four who always surround us.

Since the reaping my whole world seems to have fallen apart. We haven't just lost two young people. But the increased scrutiny on Pexey's family lead to her father being dragged out of their apartment at three am and executed the morning after the reaping. He was followed to the grave by all of the 'strange men' that he spent his time with, later on in the morning. In the space of two days Mrs Bones lost her whole family and she just kind of broke, I can hear her crying and screaming from across the hallway. Mother says I should just ignore it and live my own life, but It's so hard, how can I ignore it when my life was changed forever when Elvio Bumble read out those two names.

Not only did we lose two friends and a neighbour, my brother suddenly found he didn't have a boss and therefore no job. He'd tried to go back to work the day after the reaping but Fuse's office had been cleared out and a manager had sent Battery home. He's curled up on the couch now just staring at the television which is set to a repeat of the reapings on a loop.

"We'll he's an easy kill" he mutters every now and again when a younger tribute is reaped "easy target" "bit of a challenge" "maybe someone else will kill them for you" he comments as tribute after tribute re-mounts the stages. He's wishing for Fuse's return as I am for Pexey, I know we can't both have what we want. But I suppose that's better than neither of us getting our best friend home.

* * *

**Ajax Kline's POV:**

"Begin" I announce and the tributes around me scatter. A tributes first choice of station can tell you a lot about their strategy. Of course the four from One and Two head straight to the weapons section, the girls both heading to the throwing knives and the boys to the larger weapons. Unlike previous years none of them are talking to each other, in-fact none of the tributes seem to be communicating with one another at all thanks to Syrio's ridiculous ruling.

I shake the almost traitorous thought from my head and get on with my job. The tributes may think that their proficiency shown to us in the personal sessions is the sole event that gives them their score. But that's wrong; we're watching them through their training and judging their every move. For instance there's the girl with a large number seven pinned to her back she's sat in amongst the trees of the camouflage station. Her lips are moving quickly as if she is in a hurried discussion with the air. So I can tell instantly that no matter what she shows us in two days time, probably something with an axe, that she is not going far if she breaks down like that all the time.

I patrol the survival stations first, noting that those tributes from the agricultural districts nine and eleven have begun there. The four of them have struck up a small conversation on the different soil types that exist in their home districts. A strange little group I think, with three older kids in deep discussion and the younger one, I check my clipboard, Durian apparently listening intently.

"Boy stop that!" A male voice calls through the training centre and I turn away from the group I'm watching to see that the male from District Two has begun pushing the boy from Ten down to the floor. Two of my bigger guys have pulled them apart as I stride over.

"What's going on here?" I ask "staring at the boys", the name Titus jumps to mind for the District Two boy but the others name escapes me.

"I didn't do anything" the boy from Ten says "I just wanted to go over to a different station and he just attacked me"

I grab Titus by the scruff of his neck. "You need to save that for the arena boy. I won't have anyone's chances diminished"

"What does it matter" the boy spits "little boys gonna die anyway"

"Every tribute gets an equal chance in the games boy. Or didn't your mentor teach you that" I tell him, he growls at me in response and I drop him to the floor.

"Lilith" I ask of one of my fellow trainers "escort Titus here to a survival station, he's not to touch a weapon again until the individual sessions"

Lilith nods and tries to hold onto Titus' arm, but he pulls it away "Don't touch me woman" he growls and Lilith responds with a sharp slap around the boys face. She grabs his arms again and drags him over to the plant stations where the group from Nine and Eleven scatter in different directions.

I hear a chuckle behind me and spot that his district partner is watching "Shows over" I announce and she turns back to the throwing knives she is working on. I stride over and watch her and the District One girl throw knives for a while, both are quite equally matched though they try to outdo each other.

I move to another corner of the room where two boys are working with a small pile of electronics building devices that can electrocute a fellow tribute. They are discussing their work carefully, trying not to give away any secrets. I look closer at their work, the device that the boy from three is working on looks very professional, neatly soldered and cleanly built. His fellow tribute's machine looks a bit more haphazard and he seems to be having some problem making it work.

"Do you mind helping me?" he asks the other boy, I look up their names; Fuse and Baelfire, interesting choices on their parents part I think.

Fuse looks over Baelfires creation, "You've muddled up these two wires see." He says "and you've got a too low voltage running through the weapon, see if there's a stronger power cell."

"Thanks" replies Baelfire "I'm not used to the more practical working of machinery, but I've read about them"

I continue to walk and leave the two boys talking, at least there not just glaring at each other like some of the other tributes I pass on my way around the training floor. I miss the awkward conversation and attempts to strike up alliances when you know that all of the participants would die in the bloodbath.

Another of the tributes Calypso from Eleven has just walked over to the rope hanging from the centre of the training floor. She's the first tribute I've seen even contemplate it for a couple of years so I head over to watch.

"Hello sir" she says with a smile as I approach.

"You climbed a rope before?" I ask the girl, she shakes her head.

"Not like this sir, but I've climbed a few drain pipes in my time, trees too." She smiles and jumps up to grab the rope gripping it tightly she pulls herself off the ground and wraps her legs around the rope, gripping tightly with her thighs. She moves her hands upwards in a smooth motion and re-grips the rope an arm's length above her head. Using her arms she pulls her body up to meet her hands and grips onto the rope with her legs again. She repeats this movement several more times and works her way up to the top of the rope where in one smooth motion she leaps from the rope to the netting above her head. She pulls herself through one of the larger holes and lays on the netting above my head.

"What do you think sir?" she asks with a smile "will that get me a high score?"

"Do it in half the time and I'll see" I respond, marking down the girl's skill on my clip board and moving on.

After lunch I return to the top balcony giving myself a much clearer over all view of the training centre. Sure from up here I can't hear every word the tributes mutter, but I get a good view of the overall area. For instance this vantage point shows me a previously unseen dark corner, where the lovebirds from District Eight are kissing passionately. I leave them too it, they're both going to die soon why take this moment from them?

Over at the obscure weapons section the girl from District Ten Clarisse has got her hands on a whip. She's using it to hit a number of moving mannequins from a distance one after the other, in the games this would hinder a running target but not really harm them too much. I hope she has something more to show us in the next few days.

Price has gone straight back to the swords that he was using the exact same sword he was earlier is sparing one of my trainers. I'm scrutinising his technique when a scream from the far end of the hall distracts me. Two trainers run over to the corner where the girl from seven is pointing up into one of the trees in the camouflage section where she apparently hasn't moved on from since this morning.

"You sent me here Raven" she screams, tears streaming down her face "You sent me to this place to die. Why!"

"Charity" calls her district partner, pushing past the trainers and gripping the hysterical girl by the arm "Charity there's nothing there"

"Can't you see the raven Aspen" she cries "he's looking right at us" she is shaking, her arms flailing wildly.

"There is no raven, Charity" he says, holding her arms down "repeat after me there is no raven"

"But there is" she cries, "there is a raven!"

"Look again" he insists, pointing into the empty false trees "Look"

"Raven" she whimpers and flops to the floor rocking herself and weeping. Aspen grips her tight and rocks along with her. The trainers leave the two alone and the rest of the tributes do to, they both seem weak and weak people don't win the Hunger Games.

* * *

**Salton Darter's POV:**

"Marena" I call through our floor of the training centre, I've been stuck in various appointments all day with the sponsors who usually pay big, the Sushi bars, lifestyle shops and the like who will display our tributes image in their shop window or on merchandise and pay handsomely for the privilege. Marena has been dealing with the individual sponsors, people who like the sea and usually always sponsor our kids regardless of their abilities.

Today was pretty easy day for us both, but I don't plan on letting her have an easy evening. She's been avoiding me since the reaping and I will find out how the random kid I picked in the square that day ended up on that damn stage. Not to mention the creepy fact that the girl who until yesterday evening after the chariot rides I'd barely thought about was the same one who almost tripped over my drunken self the night before I met Troy.

Yeah there are far too many coincidences around these games for me to just let things be. I slam around the room for a while until I'm sure she's not here, scaring a few of the Avoxes in the process. Sinking down onto the couch I open a bottle of something good and pour myself a glass which I down in one swift swoop.

"You alright Salton?" the timid voice of Monique speaks; I turn to see that she and Troy have returned from training both looking physically and mentally exhausted.

"Yea fine" I reply, turning on mentor mode "how'd it go today?"

"Alright yea" Troy replies "Tied some knots, had a go at some weapons, prepared myself for death. The usual" he shrugs.

"The girl from Seven went crazy this afternoon" Monique adds with a squeak "she had to be held down by her district partner"

"Moni was just freaked out a bit" Troy adds "It wasn't really that bad, it was over in like a minute"

"My names Monique" the girl snaps back "only my sister can call me Moni."

"Wanda" I blurt, remembering the happy girl on the beach, the one who had no idea of the horror of the games.

"Yea that's her" she replies, glaring at me for a moment as if remembering "I'm going to go clean up" she adds in a mutter, before disappearing to her room. Rather than following her like I'd expected him to Troy sits next to me on the couch.

"What's that like?" he asks pointing at the bottle in front of me.

"Good" I respond with a smile "really good."

"Can I try?" he asks looking up at me in earnest,

"How old are you again?" I check

"Seventeen" he says "but as I doubt I'll make it to the ripe old age of seventeen and a half I'd say I'm practically an old man."

I chuckle "Your funny kid" I say as I pick up my bottle and a second glass pouring us both a large glass "we'll use that for your interviews, make the capitol love you."

"Works for me" he responds as he takes a sip "Blegh" he cries "that's disgusting"

"Grows on ya kid" I respond, taking a gulp of my own "so what other jokes you got, imminent death related or not"

By the time Marena strides in, her thick body squeezed into some ridiculous slinky dress, Troy and I have polished off two and a half bottles and are having a good laugh about the boy from District Eight who volunteered in some ploy to save his girlfriend.

"Stupid kids aren't even training" he says with a laugh "just smooching in a corner. If I was here with Adriana we'd have been training every second we could. I'd have got her home."

He suddenly goes all quiet and serious "better not bring her up in the interviews" he sighs "just makes me sad."

"What is going on here" Marena yells at me "You let the boy drink?!"

"What's the damage" I sigh "He may not have that long left"

"One: don't ever be pessimistic in front of the tributes and two: what's it going to look like if he turns up hung-over in the morning?" she yells at me, she strides over to Troy who is wobbling a bit.

"Have you even eaten tonight" she shouts

I pause not quite sure if there was food, did the girl eat anything even. "I.. I..." I begin to stumble not sure where I'm going.

"We ate miss" Troy answers, barely slurring his words anymore, "Those silent people brought us something"

I nod in agreement though I'm pretty sure they didn't.

"Go to bed then boy" she says "and I want you up and prepared in the morning. You're going to spend the day on weapons exclusively"

"Yes miss" he responds with a quick salute as he stands up, stumbles and runs to his room.

"He was a good pick" I say as I hear the door slam behind him, "Good looking, funny and who knows maybe he can fight. We sure picked a good one here"

"You still on that?" she sighs "You know I had nothing to do with it"

"Don't lie. We spoke to that kid in the square then his name got picked. How can that be a coincidence?" I yell in reply "You had him picked!"

"And how was I supposed to do that" she responds "The only person who can fix it is the escort. You did see the District Twelve reaping right. So blatant. Only Rox could have lied about his name and when I asked she refused."

"Ah yes Roxanna, who has vanished may I add" I don't believe her story for a second, even if Rox did refuse, maybe she found another way.

"Rox's mother is sick" Marina spits back "You'd know that if you ever spoke to her, she'd rather be with her family than us and that's fine by me. You don't think I've also dreamed of a tribute like Troy, likable and handsome and smart. Maybe I did have plans to have him reaped but Rox refused. I don't know what power put his name in her hand but it wasn't me!"

"If you say so love" I say grabbing my bottle and my glass "I'll be in my room, thinking of ways to save that kids life not destroy it"

"And the girl" Marena says "you gonna forget about her like you always do with our girls."

"Girls aren't my problem" I reply "I've told you that before. The timid little mouse is all yours. Have fun with her." I slam the door on my room and shut out her yells by blasting some loud music, yeah it's immature. But when you are celebrated for killing fellow children at the age of Seventeen you don't really get the chance to live a full life as a functional adult.


	16. Training Day Two

DAY TWO OF TRAINING:

**Ajax Kline's POV:**

The second morning of training I awaken earlier than planned and decide to jog into work, a physique like mine can't simply be bought. Well maybe it can, if you know the right surgeons but I've always preferred the homemade approach, like the victors who won when I was only young and whom I grew up idolising. Now of course I see them for what they are, dumb kids who luck into their victories. What I miss is the days of the true victors, like Nemo Fish, Midas Maynard and Nero Petronus the strong and the worthy who defeated their competitors with style. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic I think but I can't help it when I look at the state of the kids I have to deal with on a yearly basis.

Once arriving at work I make my way quickly down to the training hall where already the tributes have begun to train. My first job is to physically drag Titus away from the maces and leave him in the capable hands of my knot tying colleague, who looks less than impressed. She had probably been expecting another quiet day, maybe with the odd visit from a District Four tribute or one of the little kids.

I need to spend today focussing on following any of the tributes I may have missed yesterday and seeing if any of the less impressive tributes can show me anything new. Most of the tributes look to be circling the floor, picking up the odd skill here and there, watching each other intently as they line up to try the more popular stations. Over at the camouflage station is the girl from three is sitting alone slowly smearing a layer of mud over her arm, I can see that she's been crying so I assume the news from District Three has reached her too, it's all some people can talk about, but I doubt being the child of a traitor will get her many sponsors.

Over on the fire lighting station my attention is drawn over to the pair from eight who seem to have let go of each other for long enough to practice some survival skills, the girl seems to be showing the boy how to light a fire while the boy just looks stunned. He put himself forward for this and now he's not even trying, such a shame really. My next destination is back over at the weaponry stations where the large boy from District Twelve has only just picked up a weapon; Syrio tells me he was a prostitute back in Twelve. So his muscles may be only for show, but they are muscles none the less and he picks up a large two handed sword with ease. The instructor points him towards some dummies that have been lined up and he takes a swing at the first one, loses his balance and falls flat on his face. There is a laugh from Titus who had been watching, but one glare from me and he turns back to the noose he was tying.

Choke stands himself up and picks up the sword again, he tries again swinging the sword and keeping his legs slightly apart wedges the large weapon into the dummies arm. He pulls at it, but it's pretty firmly wedged in and he seems to be struggling. I sigh at the wasted potential and move on around the floor.

The girls from Four and Six are waiting in line for the hand to hand combat station where an instructor beckons the first girl Monique from Four over. She steps up to the line and picks up five knives, she aims at the target and throws each knife in turn. I can see she is trying but there's no technique there, she's obviously never thrown a knife before. She sighs and steps back from the mark and the instructor scrutinises her throws.

"A little off" he states "get to the back of the line and try again", she nods and steps behind the second girl to take another turn shortly. The second girl Bianca steps forward and I expect her to perform just as dismally as the first, she aims up and throws her first knife, I nod as it almost hits the centre of the target, she takes the second and re-adjusts her stance before throwing two more. These get closer to the centre and the girl's fourth knife hits the target dead centre. She drops the final knife and steps back smiling.

"Impressive" I say stepping forward "you had practice at throwing knives"

She shrugs, "nothing as well made as these sir, just throwing stuff around at home" I nod and she disappears quickly watching as Monique takes up some more knives to throw. I watch as Bianca rocks on the soles of her feet nervously as the other girl throws again and wonder if she's hiding something from me.

"What are you doing you little brat" comes a call from over by the climbing rope where the young lad from Eleven and Alexandria from One have come face to face. I sigh and run over to them where I step between them before Alexandria jumps on the smaller boy.

"Do I need to intervene here tributes" I say, my voice booms around the room and catches the attention of some of the other tributes.

"No sir" squeaks the small boy, "It was an accident sir"

"Stupid kid pushed in front of me in line" Alexandria says

"I don't care" I tell the tributes, admitting it to myself too "I don't care about your stupid little squabbles and fights, SAVE IT TILL THE AREANA" I boom, catching the attention of the whole room. I send the boy over to a different station warning him not to start anything else and retreat to a hidden corner of the room to try and regain my composure. The head trainer must remain professional at all times and snapping like that was anything but.

A quiet has settled over the room now as tributes seem to fear making any noise as to not anger me or one of their more volatile fellow tributes. But as I calm down and begin circling the floor again some tributes do begin to talk in calmer ways, mostly to their district partners, though the brave few strike up conversations with tributes from other districts.

After lunch the atmosphere is back to how it was before my outburst with snippets of conversation coming from all corners, some even feels friendly like the boys from Nine and Ten, Buck and Falco who are over by the bows and arrows station, practicing lining up shots and firing as they discuss their homes. From what I can pick up Falco is from a large family and I keep catching him using strange gibberish words that Buck has trouble understanding. Buck isn't the sharpest really, he speaks of his grandmother fondly and how he loved his work in the fields of District Nine, an awfully dull existence if you ask me.

"That big boy from Two keeps glaring at you" Buck whispers to Falco and I remember that he's the boy that Titus attacked yesterday.

"Yea" Falco sighs "That Baka thinks he's going to beat us all but he has no honour" _(AN: Idiot)_

"What does honour have to do with anything" Buck asks "He's trained his whole life for this; he could kill you with his bare hands"

"Yeah he maybe shareteru _(AN: Skillful)_ but he moves without thinking and he won't win because of it."

The slow boy seems to be taking in his every word as if he'd never heard someone speak so eloquently and I fight the urge to laugh at Falco. He may think this now, but Titus' impulsiveness will help him in the arena, while his thoughtfulness will just slow him down. I leave the two talking as Falco describes Buck as his 'Domei' whatever that may mean _(AN: Falco is calling them allies)_.

Noticing that a crowd has gathered around the hand to hand combat station I head over to watch as Troy from Four steps up to take his place opposite the trainer who sizes him up in a split second and lunges for the boy. Troy acts quickly and dives out of the way, the trainer doesn't fall for this though and stops mid dive turning to face Troy again he easily floors the boy and stands over him. "Misdirection is a good tactic if you ensure your opponent doesn't predict it coming. I could see it in your eyes boy."

Troy groans as he stands to his feet, holding his head. "Ouch" is all he can manage. He jumps off the fighting mat and heads away from the station, looking defeated.

"Try again then tribute" I say, but he just shrugs and walks off in a different direction, I notice that there are only girls in the line now as the trainer beckons the first girl up.

It takes me a moment to place the first girl as the district Five tribute Viola who I know literally noting about. She glances over to where Troy is limping off and her eyes widen in fear. The trainer wastes no time and goes for the girl who ducks out of his way as Troy did. The trainer stumbles but regains his balance.

"Good" he says "you didn't give away your tactics in your eyes, now come for me" he beckons with his hands and Viola dives at the man's legs jamming her left shoulder into his thick right-hand thigh. She rebounds straight off and lands on her back on the padded floor.

"Ouch" she mutters as she stands back up, but unlike Troy she doesn't quit and goes for the trainer and second and third time. At the end of her allotted time she hasn't bested him, "Stick with the distance weapons" he tells her "the bow and arrow perhaps" she nods and disappears over to another corner of the room.

"Next" calls the trainer as Arya from District Nine steps up to face him, this time she is the one to make the first move, she lunges at the trainer who dives back towards her. But instead of attacking from the front she moves quickly around to his back and kicks the back of one of his knees sending him to the floor. He grins as he moves back to his feet, "good" he responds grapping at the girls arm and pinning it behind her back. In one smooth movement she frees her arm and flips the trainer to the ground.

"Wow" gasps Calypso from Eleven who is next to fight the trainer "I don't think I could do that"

The girl stood beside her Quinn from Twelve laughs, "Let me go first then" she says "I'll show you how it's really done." As she speaks Arya thanks the trainer and moves onto a different station, without looking back at the two girls still waiting to take a turn.

"No" Calypso protests "I'm going to do this" she says as she steps up to face the trainer, he doesn't waste a moment and charges at the girl, she ducks but not to hide, her body stays fixed as the trainer bashes into it and topples over her crouching form. She stands up and pivots pinning the trainer to the ground she laughs.

"Oh gosh, I want to try that again" she says as the trainer rushes up to attack the girl again, she ducks in the same style but the trainer anticipates this and knocks Calypso to the ground from her crouching position, pinning her in the same way she had done to him earlier.

"Escape this" he orders and Calypso jerks her knee up into the trainers groin and he crumples over.

"You little" he yelps as he grips onto his crotch, he stands up and goes for the girl again, moving slower this time, she dives quickly out of the way and bashes the trainer on the back of the neck sending him to the floor.

"Oh come on" yells Quinn, "she's had twice as long as the others give me a go now" Calypso looks exhausted now so she steps away from the trainer who swallows a pain killer from his pocket.

"Come on now tribute, let's see you beat that" he taunts beckoning her towards him. Quinn jumps onto the mat as Calypso stands next to me and watches; Quinn makes the first move, rushing straight towards the trainer. The trainer obviously doesn't want to be bested by a tribute again and moves quickly throwing the girl to the floor.

"f-ing cheat" she mutters as she swings her legs to kick the trainer in the shins, he jumps out of the way and steps on her ankle and she screams in pain.

"Your weak girl" he says, "All bark and no bite, get out of my sight"

Quinn spits on the floor as she stalks off "I'll show you" she bites back at him, "all of you" she clarifies as she glares at me too.

"Ugh give that one a shit score for me Ajax" he asks rubbing his head and swallowing another little tablet.

"Course mate" I respond, feeling guilty I can't remember the man's name.

I can see that the day is running out and according to my list there is only one tribute I haven't properly monitored. Colten Hanran of district Six is the son of a victor, one of the better ones too. Should the poor boy have been a few years older he may have had a chance but the twelve year old that I found making traps barely strong enough to take out a small rabbit didn't have a chance. Deciding that it was too depressing to watch this lot train anymore I headed up to the safety of the balcony where I spent the rest of the afternoon, making notes on the best tributes to pass onto my friends in the betting circles. Just because I can't make an extra buck or two doesn't mean my friends can't either.

**Calypso's Boyfriend Fitch Landry's POV:**

"This isn't good" Dunbar yells at me, his intimidating frame comes face to face with me. I'm not scared though I've known Dunbar and Sante since childhood and they wouldn't hurt me, not really.

"What's not good" I respond "that my girlfriend is probably going to die a bloody brutal death in only a few days time. Or that you've lost one of your precious messenger girls."

"That one of our girls is in the capitol, any day now she could let it all slip and then we'll all be dead." Dunbar responds, he glances over at Sante who is pacing up and down the barn his hands deep in his pockets.

"Fuck" I respond "I didn't think of it like that."

"No you didn't think did you" Dunbar snaps back "you didn't think that beating your woman around may cause her to not feel overly loyal should the man get her"

"Look don't be blaming it on me"

"Well it's hardly the girls fault"

"Look let's just leave it for now" I beg "We can't stop her from talking, just trust her and be prepared in case she does."

"Dunbar leave it" Sante orders coming over to join us, "go see if Cara has come back with her cash yet, I've been waiting hours for that girl to show."

"Thanks mate" I say as Dunbar sulks off out of the barn "It sucks that they got Cally I know. But she's a good girl; she'll keep her trap shut like I warned her too."

"You warned her?" Sante doesn't sound too sure.

"Yeah didn't want to go mentioning it around Dunbar. You know how touchy he gets. But I told her outright after the reaping that if she mentions a word about what we do here, I'll make life for her mom hell."

"And if she doesn't if she just goes quietly to her death?" Sante asks curiously; he isn't angry at my confession as I suspected Dunbar would have been.

"Well then I'll keep an eye on her mom you know" I say with a shrug "make sure she has a good supply of whatever she wants till she croaks."

"You're a true gentleman" Sante laughs patting my back "and your right, no point panicking till we know if she'll rat us out or not."

"Sante, there was no need to send your heavies after me" cries the voice of Cara through the room as she is dragged in by Dunbar. Distracting us all from any thoughts of Cally, after all this dumb bitch probably didn't have Sante's money and she'd owe us all her own brand of payment.


	17. Training Day Three: Personal Sessions

_A/N: I've made a couple of little changes to the usual Personal sessions layout, it's all from Syrio's POV (tribute POVs are coming I promise), There are much fewer Gamemakers present unlike the movie(so I can better give them characters) and girls will go first (no reason for this, I just started writing it before I realised)._

DAY THREE OF TRAINING: PERSONAL SESSIONS.

**Syrio Flower's POV:**

As I take my seat at the front of the viewing gallery as I look down on the cavernous training room. Bellow me two trainers are setting out the weapon choice of the first tribute to show us his skills. It's the District One female, Alexandria and she has chosen to display to us her skills with the throwing knives.

The small girl steps into the room with purpose and bows to us before going towards the knives, Ajax leans over to me and whispers "she isn't as good as she thinks she is" as she picks up the first knife. She takes a deep breath and flings the knife with one smooth motion, hitting the centre of the target, quickly grabbing a second knife she repeats the motion, hitting the first knife on the hilt. Turning to face a dummy that has been set aside across the hall she throws three knives in quick succession hitting it between the eyes, in the neck and heart. Ajax whistles, as she completes this move efficiently "I guess she was saving the best till now" he mutters.

"Thank you Tribute" I call down into the hall "You are dismissed"

The girl bows quickly and disappears out of a side door, "Scores gentlemen?" I ask

"Eight" comments Ajax and I laugh

"Kids been taught by the best, a ten at least" I say, I was feeling generous today.

"I'd give her a Ten" adds Otho my go to guy on scoring "not quite impressive enough for anything higher, but as you said, she was trained by the best we have."

"A ten then" I say, marking it down on my pad, "Send in the next one"

The door opens and Price strides into the room, looking prepared as expected, he bows towards us and strides towards a long sword, picking it up with one hand he pauses for a moment to take a deep breath. An active dummy, activates at the far side of the hall, it begins to charge at Price who returns the action with his own sword. It ducks and twists out of the way as he attacks it, but he manages to strike it twice in the neck and it deactivates. The trainers send another dummy at him; this one wields a sword like his own. The metal clashes with metal and the two fight, Price manages to stun the dummy by hitting it with the edge of his sword and as it pauses for a moment he kicks it to the floor and thrusts into it. It deactivates in a moment and price grins "that was so cool" he announces.

"You are dismissed tribute" I call and he regains his composure and bows before heading out of the same door as Alex. I'm a big fan of our new active dummies, they give tributes a chance to show their technique when fighting another moving tribute. They're expensive though so we usually save them for the personal sessions of the best tributes we have.

"A twelve for sure" announces Ajax and I shake my head, "we don't give out twelve's lightly Ajax, I scold him. Nona what do you think?" I ask the final member of our small scoring team, though we are still missing two. I doubt they'll show though, too many parties to attend.

Nona looks up towards me; the plump, purpled hair woman had been staring at her bright pink nails missing what would probably be the best display we'd see all day. "A ten" she mutters, avoiding my eye contact. Nona was a strange one, one of the few women I found myself actually able to converse with. She never seemed to relish her role as Gamemaker, given to her by her father as a birthday gift I believe.

"Eleven" I decide out loud and mark the score down on my sheet. "Next" I call.

Amethyst strides into the room, she smiles as she picks up a thin rapier from the stand and asks to spa with a trainer, a young woman steps forward from the wings already clasping her own identical sword. The two bow to each other and begin to spar; the trainer doesn't give her any leeway and fights as if she were fighting for her life. The tribute bests her though, using her speed to attack the trainer from the back touching her sword at the back of the woman's neck and announcing her hit as a kill.

I dismiss her and she bows and leaves, her long blonde hair flowing behind her. I wonder if the Districts truly think we are naive enough to believe that they only train children older than ten, as the three tributes I've seen so far today have obviously been training much longer than that.

"Another eleven I think" says Ajax and I nod in agreement marking the score down on my pad.

"Next" I call.

Titus Mason steps up to stage next, I'm aware that Ajax had got angry with the boy for attacking another tribute on the first day of training. It was all a little pathetic if you ask me banning the boy from using weapons, but he's a big District Two lad so it's probably no loss to him. As I would have expected Titus heads straight for the larger weapons, choosing a two sided axe he picks it up one handed and takes a second one with his free hand. We've set up the active dummies again for him and two of them move towards him. Moments later Titus rushes at them beheading one and wedging an axe into the chest of a second, he kicks this one to the floor and keeping his axe in its chest pushes down on it with all his weight until the axe hits the floor.

"Also I can tie nooses and camouflage myself thanks to Head Trainer Kline" he announces turning away from his casualties and staring straight at Ajax.

"You are dismissed" I tell the boy who bows and vanishes.

"Give the little shit a Five" Ajax mutters and I laugh.

"Yeah and have to deal with Nero for the rest of the games, I don't think so."

"Eleven" Otho suggests "We honestly can't give him anything less"

I nod and mark the score down on my sheet, "Next"

Pexey Bones steps into the room next, she steps up to a table of ropes and begins to tie, I can't really see what she's doing from this distance but after a moment she holds up her first knot.

"Erm.. this is a noose" she tells us, before untangling it and beginning again, she knots for a short while again before holding up a second knot.

"This is a knot that can be used for a snare" she tells us and begins to unknot and begin again, I feel Nona yawn beside me and find myself wondering when the Avoxes would bring the food in.

"Thank you tribute you are dismissed" I call after a moment.

"But I'm .. I'm not finished" she shouts up, but a peacekeeper has already come to escort her out, he grabs her arm and she pulls it out. "Let go of me" she says, shocking me by showing a small amount of personality "I can show myself out" and with that she runs out of the room.

"Can we give zeros" Nona yawns

"There was a little fight in her at the end there" Otho points out, but I'm torn for a score.

"Four?" I suggest after a moment and the others nod in approval, I'm just about to call for the next tribute when the door to our room opens, expecting the food to be arriving I look up expectantly to see instead Dionysus Masters and his twin sister Thrace enter the viewing area. Both have heavy eyes though Thrace has at least tried to conceal hers with makeup.

"Sorry we're late" chuckles Thrace smiling sweetly at us, "silly here overslept" she nudges her brother who shrugs.

"I didn't know this was today" he responds and Otho blurts out a laugh.

"Really Dionysus" he laughs "you didn't know that the third training day would be the personal sessions."

"No need for that" I scold "Let's just call in the next tribute"

"Oh where are we up to?" asks Thrace as she lounges on a large chair next to Nona "the big lad from Two?"

"The District Three male" I respond and she sighs

"How dull." She swots her brothers arm as he orders a coffee from an Avox "this is your fault" she hisses.

"Next" I call and the boy steps through the door, he glances around the room quickly probably suspecting that his District mate caused the delay somehow. He moves quickly towards a stack of electrical equipment that is an example of what we've previously provided tributes with in the arena.

"I'm the youngest electrical designer District Three has ever seen" he tells us as he works quickly with his hands, constructing something from the materials, "I was head of my own department and have developed a number of new sound devices and recording equipment, much of which is now used in the games. I also have a keen interest in the design and creation of obscure weapons" he says holding up his device, he aims towards a dummy and fires. A piece of the device flies off still attached to the weapon with a long cable and sends a powerful electrical charge through the dummy. Pulling a crank on the weapon Fuse removes it from the dummy and aims it up into the air, where he moves to point it towards a second active dummy that the trainer had just set on him. He fires again and strikes its chest, it is still moving as he fires off a second electrical charge and it deactivates in a shower of sparks.

"Thank you tribute you are dismissed" I call down and he places his weapon down on the worktable and bows to us before leaving.

"Very cool" Thrace comments "Glad I didn't miss that one, what shall we give him"

"A Five" yawns Nona, who I am getting increasingly irritated with for her lack of interest.

Otho laughs "The boy deserves more than that, an eight even!"

"No" I say pondering it for a moment "I don't think he's strong enough for that, a six or a seven will do, but I'm afraid I'm torn."

"I'd say a Seven" Ajax tells me "he showed a good deal of proficiency in his survival and agility tests too."

"A seven it is then" I say and mark down his score on my pad.

"Next."

The next few tributes come and go in a bit of a blur as the Avoxes finally bring us some food and I get a top up of my wine. The chicken that we are served as a starter is delicious, coated in a layer of light fluffy breadcrumbs with a red berry sauce and I nibble on it as we watch the girl from District Four weave a net quickly out of a pile of rope before throwing it a good distance across the training hall, it lands draping over a dummy and she throws a short trident after it striking the dummy in the leg. "Next" I call as I sample some of the broccoli, raisin and nut salad, the dressing is just divine and I crunch through the salad as the boy from Four throws a couple of long tridents into some fast moving active dummies. We award the girl a six and the boy an eight.

"You must try this" enthuses Nona, showing me once and for all that she's only here for the food, but I take some of the pie that she offers me, the crust is fresh and light and the filling of beetroots and feta is a strangely perfect combination. As I crunch my way through two slices the District Five tributes show us that they can run and throw and survive, the usual. We give them both fives.

I watch the next girl enter the room and runs excitedly up to a stack of throwing knives, Ajax looks down at her and nudges me with his elbow "She's got some hidden talent" he tells me.

"Probably another illegally trained tribute" Dionysus says, looking down at the girl an no doublt ogling her as he does so "We've had the before right?"

"Yeah now and again" I respond "it's no big of a deal though"

Bellow us the girl, Bianca has picked up a stack of knives and throws them at a dummy which activates as it is struck in the arm. Bianca isn't fazed by this though as she throws a second knife hitting the dummy in the leg, it slows down and she rushes over to it kicking it in the back of the leg and stabbing a third and fourth knife into its back and neck, it deactivates and she stands up and bows.

"A nine" I decide out loud as she leaves the room, no-one disagrees with me so I mark the score down. The main course has arrived now so I'm distracted as the next tribute enters the room, though I do see him from the corner of my eye. The little lad from six shuffles into the room as I help myself to some duck breast with a side of jasmine rice he hovers awkwardly looking up at us until he realises no-one is going to tell him to begin. He clambers up netting and jumps down, landing in a crouched position.

"A little more" I say to the Avox who is refilling my glass with a rich red wine, she continues to pour "stop, perfect".

"I also know how to forage for food" the boy calls out "and I can run real fast too"

"Next" I call and Ajax chuckles,

"Maybe we should be paying more attention" he suggest, "I have no idea what score to give that boy"

"I'd say a four. Anyway Ajax we do this every year" Otho counters "let them sulk"

I munch on my dinner as the next tributes file in and do whatever they feel would get them more points. The boy and the crazy girl from Seven throw axes, the girl slightly better than the boy, gaining her a seven while he takes a six. The pair from Eight show us some survival techniques gaining them both a five and the girl from District Nine shoots an arrow or two from a bow with a small amount of accuracy giving her a score of seven.

The boy from District Nine steps up next and a trainer activates a fighting active dummy for him to battle.

"Can I have a real person please" he asks looking wearily at the machine. Without needing to be prompted one of the trainers steps forward and beckons for the boy to fight him, the two spar for a while, kicking and throwing punches until the trainer is defeated and forced to the floor by Nine's weight. The boy bows and leaves the room and after a short chat we award him an eight.

The girl from Ten follows him in and as there is a lull in the food I watch intently as she steps up to take a whip from the unusual weapons stand. Two active dummies are sent towards her and she lashes out towards them, the first hit wraps around one dummied neck with precision and she pulls it to the floor and drags it towards her where she stands on its neck and deactivates it. The second dummy has reached her now, she knocks this one over with a punch and deactivates it in the same way she did the first.

After she leaves I look to Otho who nods in approval "girls got strength" he says "A high score I think"

"How about a nine" suggests Thrace with a smile, I nod in agreement and mark the girls score down.

"Next" I call as the Avoxes bring in the desert course, a number of platters appear sporting meringues, cupcakes and profiteroles as I fill up my plate I can hear the boy from ten demonstrating survival techniques and chattering about edible plant life. Seeing I am otherwise occupied Ajax dismisses the boy and tells me to give him a five.

The District Eleven tributes are as dull as I had expected them to be, the first climbs the rope which Ajax tells me is quite a skill so we award her a six, the second mutters on about edible plants until we dismiss him, I'm in a good mood as the pudding is perfect so we award him a five, thought I don't think he deserves it. Last and definitely least comes District Twelve the girl steps into the room first she glares up at us for a moment before grabbing hold of an axe from the side, she flings it towards a stationary dummy in one smooth motion, it slams in the dummies forehead with a loud crunch and she grabs a second weapon. A sword this time, a trainer sends an active dummy towards her and she attacks it with the sword, slashing and stabbing at the dummy which de-activates, this doesn't stop her though she continues to attack the dummy screaming as she does so, eventually two peacekeepers run and grab the weapon from her arms.

"Thank you tribute you are dismissed" I call as they hold her in place before escorting her out.

"Get off me scum" she screams as the door slides closed behind them.

"Wow" Thrace gasps, "She's got attitude and fight, I like that in a girl"

"I don't" Otho says "not in the District Twelve female"

"True, true" I say with a nod, "so we give her a high score, put a target on her back?"

"Yea" replies Otho "A ten perhaps"

I nod in agreement and let an Avox take away my plates as another tops up my wine glass again. "Next" I call.

Choke is the District Twelve male and our last tribute of the day, he walks in head held high in a military possession almost as if he'd come straight from a District Two academy. I see Thrace lean forwards to look, girl is practically drooling.

"So that the famous whore from Twelve" she sighs "what a waste"

"May I fight a trainer" asks the boy and the trainer who fought District Nine's boy steps forward. Both are large muscular men and as the two spar and I sip my wine I am quietly confident that we have a good bunch this year.

Choke holds his own but the trainer manages to floor him, we dismiss the boy and award him an seven.

"A good bunch this year" says Otho echoing my thoughts "looking forward to seeing them in the games"

"Yeah" sighs Nona "Good luck with it all Syrio" she waves with her already gloved hand and quickly disappears from the room.

"Can't wait to see the games" enthuses Thrace bringing me into a hug "Me and Dion already have big plans for the victors parties" she grins "and of course your all invited, just you wait guys" she skips towards the door before deflating and spinning around to scold her brother who has begun to grope a female Avox who is clearing the buffet table.

"Dion" she screeches and the boy looks up.

"Coming sister" he smiles as he slaps the Avoxes ass "Just checking out the merchandise, hey Syrio you selling?"

"She's not mine" I respond coldly, there's no need to treat the staff in such ways "she belongs to the game centre, Orias is in charge of the Avoxes ask him"

"Thanks mate" Dion replies before being dragged from the room by his sister.

I thank Ajax for his time and he also leaves to go supervise the clean up and repair of the training equipment, leaving just me and Otho alone.

"Any favourites?" I ask as the Avox Dion was abusing pours me a scotch, she seems to be visibly shaking so I send her back to the kitchens, holding a note telling Orias not to sell her to anyone who may ask.

"I like the lot from One and Two" he says as he usually does "but the boys from Nine and Twelve seemed strong too"

"Agreed" I say "The girl from Six has fight in her I think"

I strain to remember her performance and find myself agreeing "Ajax thinks she's had prior training"

"I'd say she certainly has" he responds,

We continue to chat for a while longer on each of the tributes and my arena layout but don't change any scores, at some point an Avox comes to collect them from me and deliver them to the studio where Nina and Marius will deliver them to the world. Thinking of Nina I needed to have a little word with her tomorrow didn't I?


	18. Interviews Districts 1 & 2

_A/N: For everyone looking forward to getting into the tributes mind, this is your chapter; the segue may I add is perfection. Not every tribute will have a POV by the way, but I think I've made it so each submitter hears from at least one of their tributes._

INTERVIEWS:

**Nina Ricci's POV:**

As I arrive at the tribute centre ready and excited to get to work Syrio is already waiting for me, which puts a bit of a downer on my day. I throw on a smile though and hike up my boobs to freak him out, "Look like a good lot this year" I say "can't wait to meet them all" I turn to walk to my dressing room but he steps in my way.

"A few ground rules first Nina" he says his voice sounds as slimy as he is; his eyes darting to my cleavage "I need to know that there won't be any slips of the tongue this time round. Any stories that aren't one hundred percent verified."

"Syrio, you always over exaggerate things. Wasn't that finale last year just brilliant, all because of me" yes it could have turned out that I was spreading lies about the tribute from four, but it was the truth wasn't it. Anyway it's all old news now; people are much more interested in this year's tributes as always.

"You showed me up Nina" he responds "you showed all of us up. Anyway this year we've given each tribute a much more thorough background check."

"Ah yes the executions in Three. Any more gossip I should be aware of?" I enquire.

"Nothing that's relevant to your job" he responds with that sarcastic smile of his. I groan.

"Then let me get on with my job and you can do whatever you do all day" I snap back as I turn away from him and walk off down the corridor to my dressing room. I can't be doing with that slime ball of a man today, bringing up old news.

Three hours later and I'm over my confrontation with Syrio and ready to go on stage, my makeup team have done a wonderful job highlighting my eyes with a bewitching golden hue that clashes perfectly with my newly died red hair and my sleek green dress. As I admire myself in the mirror the light above it flashes twice telling me I have five minutes to get to the stage. I'm too excited though, this is always my favourite part of the games, the part where I'm centre stage with the tributes. Discovering who they truly are before they enter the arena and sharing that with the whole world. I arrive in the wings of my stage perfectly on time as always, one final check of my hair in a mirror and I'm good to go.

We are on air minutes later and I'm bounding onto the stage welcoming the crowd and viewing public and introducing the first tribute. I watch as Price Platinum steps up on stage his blonde hair is gelled back and he's been dressed in a silver suit. He holds his head up with purpose as he waves to the screaming crowd. I wonder what's happening in his mind?

**Price Platinum's POV:**

_This is it_ I think, this is the moment the capitol will see that I'm their champion and this is when Mom and Dad will see me for the first time after they said farewell to me on reaping day. I felt weak then and allowed myself tears, of excitement my mother said. I let her think that of course; she's always dreamed of me entering the games, doing what she never had the chance to do and here I am on stage with _the _Nina Ricci in-front of the whole country.

"Price" calls Nina gesturing to the chair beside her as I take in the crowds cheers, they do love District One the Capitol, its where all their shiny jewels and luxurious wines come from. I continue to wave to the crowd as I smooth down my silken silver suit and take a seat on the chair beside our host.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Ricci" I smile; Nina appears to lap it up as she blushes,

"Call me Nina" she laughs as I'd have expected her to. It's too easy this impressing the Capitol lark. I don't know why some of the other kids always fail at it so badly "Price tell me why you think you'll win these games?"

"Why would I not" I laugh and the audience join in "I mean I've been ready for this for years and without the need to play nicely with any allies I'll be able to quickly take down my competition."

"You got an Eleven in your scores"

"Yeah, I was proud of that score, nearly perfection" I reply bouncing a little in my chair, I want to show them all that I'm ready to go at a moment's notice. "And one of the highest of course"

"Of course" she smiles back "Now Price, how did you feel when you volunteered?"

"Well I've been planning it for a while but when someone else was chosen I didn't think I'd get my chance this year, but he stepped down so I took his place and here I am. Just like I always dreamed I would be."

"Yes, Marble turned down his place, very unusual for such a strong looking District One boy, do you know why?" Nina enquires, why are we wasting time on that looser when we could be talking about me.

I keep my cool and shake my head "He didn't come to see me after the reaping, but I look forward to seeing him once I'm a victor so I can rub it in his face." The crowd laugh at this and I relax back into my chair with a grin. I honestly hope I never see that kid again, he'd be disgraced now, probably thrown out of his home and no-one will ever give him a job worth doing now, he may as well flee to District Twelve or something to dig in the dirt there.

"One last question Price" Nina says

"Already" I respond, with a little sigh "but I'm having so much fun"

Nina chuckles "And we've enjoyed meeting you, what would you say is your favourite part about being here in our wonderful capitol?"

I grin, I've been preparing for this question all day since Mace had told me that it would be asked tonight "Well as you know Nina, I grew up on a vineyard." Nina nods as do half the audience "Well my parents never let me try our stock."

The audience sigh sympathetically, not that I really need it, why would I want the distraction of alcohol to bring me away from my training.

I look up to the audience and smirk slightly, "Well don't tell them but I tried some as soon as I arrived in the Capitol and I think it's amazing, you guys are all so lucky to be able to drink it every day." I grin to the crowd as they applaud me and Nina thanks me for my time. I step off the stage and turn around to watch as Alexandria skips onto stage, her poufy silver dress is made from the same material as my suit and I can see from this distance how well it shimmers in the stage lights glare. I don't know much about her strategy us not being allies and all, but from the way she's prancing around, I'd guess she's going for the pretty little fool approach.

**Alex Santos' POV:**

"Alexandria come sit down" Nina smiles at me as I wave to the crowd bellow me, basking in their cheers. I turn to look at her and can't help but notice her teeth glowing an unnatural white. In fact up close Nina doesn't look very natural at all, all plastic surgery and layers of makeup.

"I prefer Alex" I smile, it is my name after all, it's all I have left of my parents and the way Ionia kept insisting on lengthening it to a more capitol appropriate name always irritated me.

"So then Alex, what inspired you to volunteer at such a young age?" Nina asks,

I giggle "I just couldn't wait to see the Capitol any longer." I tell the crowd and my competitors, who are hopefully buying every word. "I see it every year on the television and Ionia talks of it so often." I sigh "And it's everything I dreamed of and more Nina."

"What's your favourite part" Nina probes, I'd thought of this answer weeks ago while I'd been re-watching some old interviews late one night. But I pause anyway and swing my short legs off the side of the chair, feeling the ruffles of my puffy dress brushing against my legs.

"The people" I answer with a shy smile "You're all so lovely and just as excited about seeing me as I am about you" The crowd goes wild as I knew they would.

"You got a very respectable Ten as your training score, yet that is less than your district partner got. Why do you think that was?"

I shrug "Price didn't tell me what he did; but I'm proud of my score" I lower my eyes trying to look fearful. Without a career pack I want to be perceived as vulnerable so when my moment comes I'll shock them all with how efficient a killer I really can be.

Nina doesn't push me on it, maybe she is worried for me, the naive little girl with dreams of seeing the capitol, yes that is what I am to them and that is what I will be to my fellow tributes. "Tell us about your family Alex" Nina probes. A usual segue for a stalling tribute, an attempt to make even the shyest little thing open up. I let it work and look up at the audience again fluttering my eyelashes at the crowd.

"I never knew my birth parents but Ionia adopted me when I was very young" I say, they all must know my story by now, but still soak in every word. "She raised me as a proper young lady, with stories of the Capitol and the people here" my eyes glisten as I remember "When I got into the training centre just four years ago she was so proud of me. It made me so happy." I sigh and smile, pretending to remember. Of course I'd been training since I could walk, there's no way skills like mine could be taught at age ten when the capitol think we begin training.

"I love her as if she was my birth mother and am so grateful that she took me in as her own" I look into the camera and blow a kiss "Love you Mommy, Can't wait to see you when I win like you did"

The crowd aww and Nina leans over to me and pats my cheek, I fight the urge to slap her cold hand away. "So you think you can win?" she asks kindly.

I grin and nod "Sure why not" I giggle and the crowd goes wild, they ate up my every word and once Nina has thanked me for my time I skip happily off stage to meet up with Price who rolls his eyes.

"There not all going to buy that innocent child act Alex" he tells me "You got a ten after all, with those knives of yours"

"Eat shit Platinum" I respond flicking a finger in his direction and heading over to a bank of monitors to watch as the imposing figure of Titus stomps onto the stage.

**Amethyst Swift's POV:**

I find myself breathing deeply as Titus is cheered by the crowd of capitolites, beginning to see them as the blood thirsty animals they think we are. He soaks in all the applause and begins to physically beat his chest like a monkey, chanting his own name as he does so.

"Animal" mutters the District Three kid behind me and I turn around to glare at him least he get any ideas about crossing our District. He backs away from me and averts his gaze, but of course I agree with him. Titus is an animal and that Nero gave him the honour of fighting in these games sickens me. Kindra made me promise to kill him myself and I plan on doing that as quickly as possible once the games begin. No waiting out for an epic finale, no messing with the likes of District three first, just straight in there, the male from District Two dead in the bloodbath.

Titus has finally stopped chanting his own name and sits on the seat next to Nina who asks him about his experiences in the training room. He chatters on for a while explaining how he was obviously the most superior tribute there and how he had been asserting his dominance or 'showing those babies whose boss' as he so eloquently put it.

"And then that head trainer guy wouldn't let me use the weapons" he announces to the shocked gasps of the crowd, I roll my eyes. Rating on Gamemakers, yeah that's a really sensible tactic Titus.

"Now Titus" Nina asks, turning her face all serious "We all know there's no love lost between you and your district Partner Amethyst, how do you think it will end?"

"With me tearing her limb from limb" he laughs, punching his fist in the air. The crowd go wild as I feel my stomach drop with nerves, the feeling only lasts a millisecond though as I force it away. _Titus has no chance_ I think _no chance at all_. He finishes off his interview as he started it, by beating on his chest and yelling his own name as the crowd join in.

Eventually it's time for Titus to leave the stage and I am called forward. I take a deep breath and throw on a wide smile as I leap enthusiastically onto the stage.

"I'm so excited to finally be up here" I squeal "I thought Titus would never stop chanting his own name" I add with a chuckle and the audience who moments ago we're chanting with Titus chuckle in agreement.

"You two don't get along do you?" Nina asks "is there any gossip there?" she raises her eyebrows in anticipation.

"Not really" I respond shaking my head, I'd promised Kindra I'd keep the truth quiet, I didn't want to include her in all this; it might affect her chances of getting into the peacekeeper academy. "I just think he's an animal and needs to be put down." I smirk, the crowd cheer and clap for a moment.

"Do you plan on being the one who does that" Nina asks, a sly grin on her face,

"Of course" I laugh "no-one else has the ability to defeat District Two except District Two" the crowd clap at this and I hope that Nero is proud of me for getting a bit of District pride in there.

"How have you prepared for these games?" I'm asked as the crowd calm down

"By becoming the best" I respond "I'm skilled in both hand to hand combat and weapons, I can run and climb and plan. I'm the full package and I don't need an alliance to hold me back."

Nina smiles "So as our future victor what has been your favourite part about being in the capitol?"

I feel taken off guard; I'd expected her to talk about my scores and personal sessions next, I'd got an eleven after all, almost perfect.

I realise I've been quiet for a moment, apparently in deep thought about my favourite part of the Capitol and I have the whole countries un-divided attention. My family and my friends are all sat at home all hoping that I give the perfect answer, that I don't show them up and I flatter the capitol enough to get sponsors and I... I can't think of a single thing to say.

"Urm..." I splutter "The foods pretty good" I say feeling my tongue make words before my brain can work "I mean I've never eaten as much as I have these last few days I thought I was going to puke the other night but I didn't I was kind of confused for a bit though like why do you all call the games the hunger games when there's so much food right now in the capitol so that's pretty good and I suppose there will be food in the arena too for us who can actually fight for it. So yeah the food." I gasp for breath as I finish talking, not sure exactly what I just said.

There is a smattering of applause as Nina thanks me for my time and I stand up and rush off the stage where I run head first into Titus who is loudly laughing.

"What in the name of Panem was that" Booms Nero "All that training wasted girl" beside him Titus is miming a tying a noose around his neck, insinuating I should probably just kill myself.

"Nero" scolds Valda "leave the girl alone, she still has her score to fall back on."

"I'm so sorry" I say feeling close to tears "I thought she'd ask about my training score and I just panicked. They'll never sponsor me now will they?"

"Just perform well in the bloodbath and they'll forget all about it" she tells me wrapping her soft arm around my shoulder "There will be more embarrassments tonight and you will only be remembered for the positives my girl." I allow her to lead me away from the studio and my laughing District partner feeling slightly hopeful and confident or my victory again.


	19. Interviews Districts 3, 4, 5 & 6

**Fuse Zapa's POV:**

_Okay Capitol prepare to have your mind blown_ I think as I mount the steps bellow the stage after the girl from District Two climbs down in what appears to be a state of shock. She did kind of go off on one there about why the Hunger Games were named as such. Of course everyone knows they were originally known as the Rebels Games but after year six when over fifty percent of the tributes starved to death in the arena the Capitol gave it a nickname that kinda stuck. Or at least I assume that everyone knows that but as keeps being proved to me as I get closer and closer to the games, I seem to be the smartest one here, in the whole capitol!

Nina is calling me onto stage now beckoning me forward with a finger ending with a long red nail. I step onto the stage and feel blown away by the cries of the audience bellow, remembering the advice Gadge gave me in one of her more lucid moments I force the thought of them from my mind. _It's just you and Nina_ I think, _you and Nina_.

"Fuse darling" she cries leading me to my seat, I take a seat next to her and wave out at the crowd who look up at me in anticipation.

_Just you and Nina_ I think as I turn back towards her as she asks me how I'm finding the Capitol.

"Great, thanks Nina" I reply with a smile "I'm finding it fascinating to watch how the work we do in Three translates to the life here in the Capitol."

"Well we do love all our gadgets and gizmos from Three" Nina smiles at me "I hear you're pretty good at making them too."

"Yes, I'm one of the main designers of sound and video equipment for the capitol" I reply "Like your cameras over there, they used to film with a two thousand five hundred and sixty by two thousand and forty eight resolution but my new design can film up to five thousand one hundred and twenty by thirty two hundred improving the viewing experience for everybody. I'm also developing a new projection system to show the games in District squares without the light glare ruining the picture." When I finish talking the audience just sit there kind of stunned for a moment before applauding.

"How do you plan on using this to win the games Fuse?" Nina asks, raising her eyebrows at me in a comical confused fashion.

"I'm going to build a weapon. I don't know what yet as I haven't seen the tools available to me yet of course. But once I see my work bench and materials then I can't help but create." I grin, just the thought of designing and creating made me feel better.

"Is that what you showed the Gamemakers?" she asks, probing me on my personal sessions.

"I'm not allowed to talk about that am I, but you could make that assumption sure. I certainly didn't use the throwing knives or axes." I chuckle.

"Yes, yes of course" she responds with a chuckle of her own and a glance out towards the silent crowd who with each passing second seem to intimidate me less and less "so Fuse, tell us about your life at home?"

"I've already told you about my work, what else is there to say?" I say with a shrug,

"How about your family, friends, do you have a special lady waiting at home?"

"No I don't have a girlfriend, but yeah I have family, parents, siblings, the usual" I tell Nina "and friends of course" I pause not knowing if Battery would want mentioning in the Capitol, but deciding to go for it anyway. "My best friend is called Battery" I say "and yeah we fight and stuff and I can be a bit of a jerk towards him but he's my friend and I need to come home to him" I find myself getting emotional at the thought of never seeing Battery again.

Nina seems to sense this as she taps me on the leg in an attempt to comfort me, doesn't she know its people like her that are the reason I'm here, is she really that thick "Then you go out there and you win" she smiles as if it we're the easiest thing in the world.

"Yeah" I say "Yeah that's a good idea, I hadn't thought of doing that" I smile and the audience chuckle slightly, probably still kinda confused by me. Nina thanks me for my time and I step off the stage waving to the audience as I do so.

Off in the wings I find Gadge waiting for me, as expected Flash is no-where to be seen, probably off at some party that was of course more interesting than ensuring me or Pexey make it out of this thing alive.

"Did I do alright?" I ask her

"I've seen worse" she responds, paying more attention to Pexey stepping onto the stage than me. I know technically Flash should be my mentor but you'd think she'd be at least a little interested in me too. Pexey looks innocent and beautiful in a slim white dress piped with wires of many different colours. A more subtle design than my suit jacket weaved from the same wires and white trousers.

"Pexey my dear" croons Nina bringing her into a hug as if they were long lost friends or something, Pexey doesn't seem to happy about this and wiggles out of the embrace to take her seat. Nina sits down after her and pats her gently on the leg.

"We're all so sorry to hear about your loss" she says staring into Pexey's eyes. I glare at her and want to rush onto the stage to save Pexey who looks like she's about to cry. Nina Ricci doesn't care about her father all she wants is to make a good show which Pexey is about to give her.

"Yeah, it was a shock" she sighs, she pauses for a moment and looks out to the audience "But I think he deserved it" The crowd gasp, their noise blocking out my own gasp, is this really what she thinks, I've been living with her all week and I've heard the screams and the tears as the news came though to us.

"That's my girl" whispers Gadge and it hits me, she's playing the capitol audience and she's being smart about it.

"Why do you say that Pexey?" Nina asks a smile on her face, she probably thinks she's discovered a big secret here.

"I knew he was a traitor" Pexey whispers "but I never told and that's why I was reaped" she lowers her head and I see tears forming in her eyes "I feel so ashamed" she sighs.

Nina lifts Pexey's head with one of her long nails and looks her in the eyes "Then you go into this arena and win this thing and I'm sure all will be forgiven"

The crowd clap in agreement as Pexey looks out at them and smiles "yeah" she says "I'll do that, I can win this thing and go home to my mother and we can forget all about my traitor of a father."

The crowd go wild at my district partner's optimism and I get the feeling she isn't one to count out just yet, she's from the same school district as I used to go to and has the same technical skills I do. Plus her traitor father probably taught her how to fight dirty and now she's got the audience in the palm of her hand while I just sounded like your average uber smart kid from Three. Pexey laughs and jokes with Nina for a bit longer and the two of them talk about about her best friend back home and points out that she's Battery's sister, something I didn't know.

Once Pexey jumps off the stage and runs up to Gadge who give her a hug "Good job my girl" she says "I think they liked you".

* * *

**Troy Caspian's POV:**

The crowd cheer when they see me climb onto the stage, they love an attractive tribute apparently. So I've been dressed in an almost transparent sea blue shirt and the tightest black pants I've ever seen. They've even sprayed something in my hair to make it look like I've just climbed out of the sea.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Nina" I smile as I take a seat next to the host; I force my accent to become more capitol like and pronounced.

"It's lovely to meet you too Troy" she responds "Tell us how you've prepared for these games?"

"Well I've been ready for quite a while Nina" I respond, I know Salton doesn't approve of Marena's trainees but it is a good image to put forward, I have the muscles for it after all "I've had the practice and I know how to fight and survive." Every word is pronounced slowly an effort to get my point out perfectly.

"You got an eight in your personal sessions, not quite as high as the career tributes though; do you think this will affect your chances?" Nina probes, I know I need to prove I'm as good as them to get the sponsorships.

"Eight's a good score" I respond my accent slipping back slightly "There was a time when that was the score being earned by tributes from Two, anyway I may just be saving the best for the arena." I say with a smirk.

Nina chuckles "A clever tactic" she looks out at the audience and smiles "What do you think, is he hiding something?" The audience clap and scream out positive responses and I decide to go for a laugh or two as Salton suggested.

"Well I'm hiding my real accent for one" I laugh "ugh it's hard to talk proper isn't it?" The crowd laugh and go wild and I smile giving them another wave catch some kisses and blow some more of my own. "It's like I've already won" I chuckle "A boy could get used to this"

"Well then you win this thing" Nina exclaims, I'm pretty sure she just told the last two tributes to do the same, is she on my side or not here?

"Yeah I can do that" I chuckle "it's lucky there aren't twenty three other tributes trying to do the same" I pause and pull a thoughtful face "oh wait"

Nina laughs and the audience join her "Ah but you're a strong boy Troy, with a score of eight and all that muscle behind you" the audience whoop in approval.

I laugh "Thanks for that Nina" I chuckle "I'll try and remember that when I'm running for my life in the arena"

Nina smiles and thanks me for my time and I come off the stage happy. I think the audience liked me and that I'll at least get enough sponsorship money to not starve out there. Salton slaps me on the back as I step up to him and Marena in the wings of the stage.

"Good going boy" Salton says "You had them in the palm of your hand there"

"Implying you've trained is also a good tactic" Marena tells me, as Nina announces Monique up to the stage.

* * *

**Monique Steel's POV:**

I step carefully onto the stage trying not to trip over my floor length dress, it's the same blue colour as Troy's shirt but luckily less transparent. Nina waves me over and I sit down quickly as I wave to the crowd they go silent quickly, all those eyes looking up at me and waiting for me to say something. I open my mouth to talk but nothing comes out, Nina seems to sense this and she asks me how I'm finding the capitol.

"Good yea" I respond "I miss the coast though, I don't know how you live without it"

"I don't know either my dear I do love my vacations there" Nina responds "What do you miss most about it?"

"The beach" I say with a little sigh "I love to run along the beach and feel the sand between my toes as I chased my sister." I smile at the memory, though the longer I stay here the more it fades to memories of makeovers and training sessions and before I know it the only thing in my mind will be the games.

"Tell us about your sister, did she come see you after the reaping?" Nina enquires, I don't really want to talk about her to the Capitol but I suppose I have no choice.

"Yeah she did" I sigh "we hugged and she cried. But I stayed strong." I raise my head and force my eyes to remain tear free.

"You're a strong girl then? How are you planning on using that to win the games?"

"By fighting, I'm not scared to get in there, I'm speedy and I can survive too." The crowd applaud at this and I hope they can't sense the fear in my voice.

"And when you win and come home, you'll have boys all over you am I right? Nina laughs,

"Well there's actually only one boy I want" I blurt without meaning to.

"Oh do tell" Nina says leaning forward, and staring into my eyes, I look away.

"No I can't" I shake my head shyly, but I have a feeling it's too late.

"Go on just us girls here" she giggles and the crowd laugh too, disproving her point entirely.

"I suppose I won't have another chance to say it... Austin Salmon I think I love you" I cry, before putting my hands over my mouth "I can't believe I said that" I giggle.

Nina grins at me "Thank you Monique, you go out there and you win it for Austin" she announces my name and district again and I wave to the crowd as I get off the chair and head off the stage. I walk quickly over to the backstage where Troy and Salton have already gone to our backstage area to watch the other interviews. Marena waits for me though and I give her a quick hug, just wanting to feel some human contact.

"How did I do?" I ask her as she leads me away from the backstage area where the District Five mentors are getting into place I can hear the cheers now as the next tribute mounts the stage.

"Good yeah" she says "nothing memorable I'm afraid but you made a good impression to the District Sponsors"

By the time we reach Troy and Salton in the viewing room Baelfire the District Five boy is almost finished, he's laughing with Nina now telling her a story about his large family and how he found it nearly impossible to practice for the big science fair they hold in five with his sisters constantly following him around. He shows off his medal and tells Nina all about how he can apply his mind to problems and think of a unique way to win the games. He finishes off with the usual gushing on how much he loves the people of the capitol and this gains him a wild round of applause.

"Nothing exciting there" Troy sighs as I watch as Viola steps up to the stage shining in a glittery purple dress, I had a quick chat with her during the training sessions and we got along nicely. I even feel that had alliances been allowed I may have teamed up with her.

"The interviews usually sag a bit now" Salton sighs, pouring himself yet another drink, I roll my eyes at him "Until you get to the sob stories of the outer districts at least"

"So Viola tell me about home" Nina asks Viola.

"Home is District Five, but I'm not into science like Bae is. I'm a baker." She responds with a little shrug.

"Oh yummy, what do you love to bake most?" Nina asks, on the screen her makeup looks less intense than it did in person and I wonder how they made it work.

"Cupcakes" Viola giggles "I love the icing and the sprinkles, I could eat cupcakes all day Nina"

"Me too" she sighs sympathetically pretending to get lost in the thought of cupcakes for a moment, she shakes her head and turns back to Viola. The audience chuckle at this little act, "How are you and your cupcakes going to win the games then?" Nina asks.

"By fighting for it" Viola states simply "I've thought about it for a while now and I think I'm finally ready to take on the games"

"And not a moment too late"

"I know, I mean if I was ready yesterday you might not have had any other tributes to interview." Viola chuckles at her own joke as the audience applaud and cheer.

Troy laughs out loud "HA! Like that kid could beat anyone" he says.

"Don't be so sure" Marena tells him "I've seen all sorts of tributes win."

"Oh that is confidence." Nina says on our screen after the audience had calmed down. "You didn't get the highest score though did you?" she adds referring to Violas score of five, only one point less than me.

"What do scores mean in the end though really Nina. My mentor Zippina only got a three as her score, though I hear the marking was harsher back then" Viola points out.

"Ah yes the famous Zippina Kirk, how is she? Nina asks raising her eyebrows, the crowd laugh for a moment before returning to being silent. Waiting to hear the gossip Viola is about to provide.

"The usual" she replies with a shrug "She keeps asking me strange questions" I smile she's being clever there by not gossiping about Zippina, she doesn't want to make her mad after all.

"About?" Nina pushes, but Viola only shrugs again,

"Stuff, my parents, my father mostly" she replies, I remember hearing her father was dead but I don't remember any of the details.

"Oh and I wish we could hear all about it too, but your time is up my dear" Nina exclaims

"So soon?" Viola sighs "well it's been lovely to meet you Nina" she says with a grin.

"And you. Ladies and gentlemen Viola Wattson!

The crowd go wild as Viola steps from the stage and I look to Marena who smiles "Zip always has some conspiracy theory going around her head" she chuckles "I remember when she first won she decided that it was only because the president didn't like the other tributes. No wonder they don't usually let her out of Five."

* * *

**Colten Hanran's POV:**

I can't seem to get my body to stop shaking as I step up to the stage and as Nina takes my hand and announces me as the legacy tribute from Six I really do feel like I'm about to cry. I keep a straight face though and smile to the crowd, who knows someone out there might be a fan of dads.

Nina takes my hand and leads me to the seat on the stage, here she sits me down and grins at me "It's a pleasure to meet you Colten" she says keeping her grin in place "How are you finding it being in the capitol?"

"Urm... A little overwhelming" I reply "It's so big"

Nina chuckles and the audience join her "it sure is, does your father talk of it often?"

"Not really" I respond shaking my head "he keeps his visits here separate from us at home"

"So you're not terribly jealous of course" Nina chuckles, I must have said the wrong thing as she looks panicked.

"I suppose so" I smile "It is all very impressive."

Nina looks happy at this and asks me how Dad's prepared me for the games; I think about it he hasn't really, just told me all would be okay and that he'd fix it. "By staying positive" I say "he told me not to think about losing, just what I can do to win."

"What can you do to try and win? Your score was only a four wasn't it?" she says with a smile, I don't think she was trying to be mean but it didn't come across nicely.

"It was a good score" I say defensively "I liked it anyway. Dad said that he was really proud." I say with a smile "he told me that if I concentrate on surviving out there and everything will be fine"

"A very interesting approach" Nina smiles "I look forward to seeing you pull it off. Now what I really want to know about is your life back home Colten. You're a bit of a mystery around here; tell us any girlfriends we should know about"

"Ew no" I groan, before having a funny thought "The only lady in my life is my mommy" the audience sigh and aww in response to this.

Nina gasps dramatically "What would your big sister say to that Colten" she almost scolds me, I laugh.

"Oh yeah her too. Sorry Addie" I say with a wave to the camera, I didn't forget her really I'm just scared to think of her. My parents have another child so when, yes when, I died they'll have her. But she only had one brother and I one sister. I find myself tearing up on stage something I promised myself I wouldn't do.

"Oh dear" says Nina in her sympathetic whimper, the one she only saves for the most pathetic of tributes "Has thinking of your family upset you?"

I nod, not seeing the point in lying "I miss her" I say "and Mom of course and I'll lose Dad tomorrow"

"Then you survive Colten" she tells me poking me in the chest "You survive and come home to them" I smile and nod in agreement but all words seem to have gone as I can't get my thoughts off my sister, is she watching? Does she miss me too? I barely notice as Nina announces my name again and I walk off the stage in a daze. Dad wraps his warm arms around me.

"Oh Coley" he sighs

"I was weak Daddy" I cry "I tried to be strong but I couldn't, I'm so sorry" I begin to cry louder as Bianca is introduced to the crowd. I let go of Dad and look to the stage where she's waving at the crowd and blowing kisses. "I'm going to die" I whimper, "That's the truth isn't it?"

"There's always a chance" my father tells me and for the first time in my life I don't believe him.

"Shh" scolds Savera, Bianca's mentor, I look up at her. She points at Bianca on the stage "Now isn't the time to think that way Coley" she tells me strictly, reminding me of the teachers at school "and I'm trying to listen."

I decide to try and focus on Bianca too as she giggles and plays down her ridiculously high score of 9

"I don't think what I did up there was too exciting but they must have likes it to give me such a high score" she tells Nina.

"Oh my girl you're down playing your skills I know you are" Nina laughs in return.

"Maybe I am" Bianca responds with a wink.

They chat for a while longer as I just stand and watch, gripping tightly onto my Fathers hand as I do so. Bianca lights up when the conversation moves onto her boyfriend Killian, I know him from around, he's a big lad I think Addie know him from school.

"I really love him Nina" Bianca sighs "Like really, really."

"You think it's forever then?" Nina asks

Bianca nods "If I get home after this then yes. I'm going to ask him to marry me"

The crowd gasps as Nina smiles "Isn't that the boy's job?" she asks with a sly chuckle

"Well I suppose so" laughs Bianca in response "But I'll be a victor so I can't see him not asking. I want a big ring Killian" she laughs into the camera. The crowd go wild as they love a victor wedding and we haven't had one since Nina Bell married her husband when I was five, Savera smiles.

"Clever girl" she says "We may have a victor here Aden"

I drop dads hand and let out a scream, "I don't want to die" I cry collapsing to the floor, unable to think or do anything I feel my brain shutting off as I fall unconscious.

* * *

_A/N: Wow a long one there guys, I know I usually complain about interviews but I really enjoyed writing them and getting to know the tributes more. I'm glad you're all still enjoying reading my story and I'm so happy to get 100 reviews on a story for the first time ever! _

_FYI I'm picturing Nina looking like Christina Hendricks if you want a good idea of her. _

_S x_


	20. Interviews Districts 7, 8, & 9

**Aspen Dionne's POV:**

As the girl from District Six steps off the stage with a final wave to the crowd, there is a murmur from the other side of the stage, down where the mentors and finished tributes wait. Behind me Charity whispers something about weakness that I don't hear fully, but it unnerves me slightly. I step on the stage and can see the District Six mentor pick up his kid Colten and carry him out of view, he looks to be unconscious and I hope he's all right.

After that shock my interview is a blur of nerves and excitement, Nina asks me about my family and I tell her about my Dad who's always a laugh, my Mom's bright smile and my big brother Heath. Then we chat about my friend Robin for a while and I tell her how he thinks he's Panem's most eligible bachelor, this gets a lot of laughs and causes Nina to inform me that if I win I'll have all the ladies after me. I agree of course, I don't want to seem like a looser but I'm pretty sure deep down that I don't have a chance.

Rowan tells me that I did alright, but I should have played up my axe using experience, but he also adds that they probably all assumed about the axes from my alright score. Overall I think I was alright in all respects, probably causing me to be a bit forgettable. Not that that bothers me, I want my competitors to forget me as I hide and outlast them all.

Charity steps onto the stage next, in a long green dress adorned with leaves, Ivy groans as Nina compliments the dress. Ivy is as sick as anyone else in Seven about the whole tree thing, but I suppose it did help her win her games. After all who could resist sponsoring a feisty girl called Ivy in a dense jungle arena. That was years ago though, this year It's Charity that drawing in the viewers.

"Charity, tell us a little about yourself?" Nina asks cautiously, I don't think there isn't a person in the capitol who hasn't heard the stories about Charity. In school I used to think she was putting it on to stand out, muttering about Ravens and stuff to get out of school work. But living with her these last few days has shown me the truth, that she can be normal and nice and friendly but when the Raven comes she can't get rid of it and it's driving her insane.

"When I was five my parents died," Charity replies quietly, keeping a smile as she does so though and I hope that she'll be able to keep the normal up for three minutes at least "at least I think they did I just remember that I never saw them again. I was left all alone in the world. Well except for ... except for... RAVEN NO!" Charity screams and plunges her head into her hands, ruffling her dress and throwing fake leaves everywhere as she does so.

"Tell us what's wrong dear" say Nina digging, "Maybe we can help"

"I can't, I can't" Charity cries "I can't tell them" another scream and she looks up, towards the back of the audience who are frozen in silent fear. She opens her mouth and starts to talk at a rapid rate.

"Raven is... was my sister ... Raven died. It was my fault you see, I let the peacekeepers take us and I let the women at the orphanage separate us and when Raven died it wasn't me by her side. She stays by my side now though, she taunts me and hurts me but it's because she loves me and wants me to be strong. I see now that she knew. She knew I'd be reaped so she helped me be strong and I love her for it." Charity gasps for breath as she finishes talking, the audience don't know how to respond but I find myself weeping. All I did up there was chatter on about my loving family and Charity has nobody, I find myself feeling like a real jerk for every mean thought I ever had about her.

"Oh Charity, what an awful story" Nina sighs with no emotion behind her voice, proving once again that Capitol citizens have no hearts. The audience are silent also; no-one seems to know what to say next, It's Charity that breaks the silence.

"Raven haunts my dreams Raven watches us all as you watch me as I will die" She sighs, there is another moment of silence before she seems to switch back on and smiles at Nina. "I'm really good at cutting wood though and I think my score shows I'm not one to count out"

"So you work in the forests then?" Nina asks cautiously, fearful of Charity's next turn.

"Oh yes every evening" she smiles "All the orphanage kids do, but it's good fun, we get to work up our strength and axe skills, there's been an awful lot of District Seven victors" she tells Nina.

"There's been five I believe" Nina says, "Not a giant number" She's only counting the post rebellion victors of course, before that we did even better with the likes of Johanna Mason.

"Six" corrects Charity "People always forget Amur Heath who won the seventy seventh games because he hung himself before the year was over."

"Oh yes" sighs Nina, "It's always so tragic to lose a Victor."

"We've lost eight" Charity tells us "People always forget them once they're gone." She sighs and looks to the rafters again. "Raven tells me she knows who will join her in the afterlife next, after me and Rowan and twenty one other tributes we'll lose a Victor, a well loved one too." I frown, maybe I think that I can't win, but there's no need for Charity to explicitly say it. That's just rude!

"Who?" Nina asks, leaning forward in anticipation.

Charity shakes her head "she won't tell me, she also won't tell me who wins"

"Maybe it will be you" Nina laughs "Maybe Raven is just messing with you"

"Yeah maybe." Charity replies with a shrug "Is my time up yet?"

"Yes, yes it is" responds Nina looking relieved "Charity Greenwood of District Seven" she announces and the crowd applaud as she walks down to me, Rowan and Ivy.

"There was no need to include me on your list of the dead" I scold her

"Oh" she sighs "But Raven told me to. She also told me to say that it would be Colten Hanran who kills you." She says as if it was no big deal.

"The kid that fainted!" I exclaim "But you said he was weak"

"When?"

"Before in the queue"

Charity just shakes her head as Ivy ushers us away from the spot where the District Eight mentors have arrived. I decide that she's just messing with me to throw me off and that I'm not going to listen to her anymore. As we get to the District Seven viewing room, the boy from District Eight is already on the stage.

* * *

**Cheyenne Locke's POV:**

I rock back and forth on my feet as Laércio steps onto the stage, from here I can't quite see him but I can hear him perfectly thanks to the excellent sound system in here, I wonder for a moment what our band would sound like up on this stage, performing to the capitol crowds. I've seen live bands performing on the television loads of times but never one from a District.

Laércio is telling Nina all about our band now and he's complementing my singing, I feel myself blushing and wish I was allowed to rush onto stage to pull him into a hug. I shuffle forwards slightly and stand on my tip-toes; _yes_ I think _I can see his face from here_.

"You must really love her" Nina says "To volunteer"

The love of my life nods his head; excitedly "I knew I couldn't live without her so I had no choice really"

"You know you can't both win" Nina tells him "You also can't ally"

"I know that" Laércio says, "And so does Chey. We've just decided to see what happens out there"

"What have you been doing to make it go your way though?" she asks "How have you been preparing for the fight?"

"We've had a go at everything and got a good overall knowledge. I think we're ready to take on the games" Laércio says his voice lighting up as he does so.

"A good attitude to have" Nina agrees "Now I know you have Chey in your life but what about the rest of your family, what's it like being the son of the mayor?"

"Not overly interesting" he replies with a small shrug "I had a lot of pressure on my shoulders and as much as I love my family it was all a bit too much. That's helped me prepare for the games though, to understand pressure and to have to think of ways to overcome it."

"You seem to be perfectly ready for the games"

"I am yes and so is Chey."

"Well then ladies and gentlemen shall we get this lovely lady of Laércio's out here?" she asks and I begin to bounce on my feet and plaster on a smile, fighting through my nervousness. Shouldn't Laércio leave the stage first though?

"Shall I go then?" he asks getting a laugh from the crowd; I can see that he's stood up and is ready to leave the stage.

"One moment" giggles Nina "Cheyene Locke come on up." I understand what she's up to and run onto stage and straight into my loves arms.

"I love you" I whisper in his ear, the microphone in my dress broadcasting my every word across the country.

"Love you too" he replies pulling me in for a kiss, we smooch for a moment and with my eyes closed I can pretend we're back home with our band mates groaning in the background. When we were young and free and had our whole lives ahead of us. Now what's left for us, a few hours of bliss and the hope of a painless death? Before I know it, Nina is separating us, Laércio is being sent off the stage and I'm alone with our host Nina Ricci.

"That was just beautiful Cheyene" she sighs pointing me to my seat.

I sit down "Do you mind calling me Chey" I ask "I mean people usually do and I kinda prefer it"

"Of course" Nina responds with a smile "Now tell us about your life back in Eight" I wonder why she didn't ask me about Laércio first but I answer the question anyway.

"Kinda normal I suppose. I live with my Mom and brother and I do the usual work and school stuff. But then there's the band of course and Laércio." I smile out to the crowd who give no reaction.

"I hear from Laércio that you're the bands singer Chey" Nina smiles at me and my heart leaps at the thought of her asking me to sing in front of all these people. Our band never got a real chance to perform back home, always practicing for some imaginary gig but now here I am the whole world watching and I am ready.

"I am yes" I say nodding enthusiastically.

"Can you sing us a song?"

"Of course" I reply, suddenly having an idea of what I will sing for them "but I don't know any of your Capitol songs, may I sing a District Eight song?"

"Of course my dear, what's it about?"

"It's about a tribute going into the games with her lover and I find it fits my situation right now?" They will never know the hidden history of the song that it was composed during the 74th games as a tribute to Katniss and Peeta and passed down through the factories of District Eight, out of earshot of anyone who would want to quell it. But I plan on sharing it now, letting them all hear the fear in my heart through a song. I take a deep breath and stand up, brushing my fingers against my smooth purple dress; I look out to the back of the crowd just above where the furthest person back sits and begin to sing:

"I don't know where I am, I don't know this place, Don't recognize anybody, And I don't know who to believe anymore. But there comes you to keep me safe from harm, There comes you to take me in your arms. Pleading eyes that break my heart, So homesick I can't feel, But I know I must play my part and tears I must conceal." The audience watch in silence, captivated by my every note. I want to glance over to where Laércio is watching but my professionalism takes over.

"There comes you to keep me safe from harm. There comes you to take me in your arms. Take my hand and my heart races, Blow a kiss to the crowd, They're our only hope now."

The crowd goes wild for about twenty seconds, creating so much noise that I feel overwhelmed and can't help but grin out to the crowd. I've never had a reaction like that before and it feels amazing.

"That was beautiful Chey" Nina sighs.

"It sounds better with Laércio's guitar" I add "and my brother on the drums too"

"and I wish we could have heard it like that too." Nina says "But I'm afraid your time with us is up"

I nod sadly, "It's been a pleasure" I smile as she announces my name and district again and I run off stage waving to the crowd as I do so. When I'm out of sight I rip out my microphone and jump into Laércio's arms.

"I want to make love to you all night long" I tell him before pulling him into the most passionate kiss I've ever given.

* * *

**Buck Grants POV:**

I gulp as I step onto the stage, how am I suppose to follow that, the two love bird from District Eight and me. Some skinny lad from District Nine, I wonder if anyone even knows my name.

"Buck Grant from District Nine" announces Nina as she waves me towards her; I step slowly across the stage.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Buck" Nina smiles "Tell us how are you finding the capitol?"

I'm frozen with nerves and not quite sure how to answer, do I talk about how I've been stripped and painted gold for the opening parade. How I didn't sleep a wink my first night and drank three cups of coffee to wake myself up the next morning. Or do I mention that I've eaten so much food over the last few days I think I may throw up.

"Good" is the only word that comes from my mouth.

"Would you care to elaborate" Nina asks and the audience chuckle

"I don't know what you mean" I mumble, wondering why she has to use such big words. I can feel the audience staring at me and the heat of the lights burning on my face. I glance to the floor to shield my eyes.

"Oh deary me" chuckles Nina "I think we've got a shy one here" the audience howl with laughter and I feel my stomach drop with fear.

"Come on Buck" Nina says pushing up my chin with the sharp nail on her finger "What can I do to make you talk?"

I just shrug. She laughs again and forces me to stare into her eyes; "Tell us about your family Buck"

"I got my Pa and my Gran" I mutter "I work in the fields with Pa and Gran has a little stall. We make do."

"He does have a voice" Nina chuckles "Any friends Buck, a special lady perhaps?"

I shake my head "No"

"Hmm.. How did a charismatic boy like you get such a high score then?" she asks as the audience continue to laugh at me. I don't know what that carasometing word means but I do remember the personal sessions. How the Gamemakers barely watched me as I wrestled that trainer to the floor, I was proud of that as I'd never fought a real person before. I wish I could tell the audience this but my brain freezes again and I just shrug.

Nina laughs again "Ah an enigma I see, keeping your secrets for the arena boy?"

"Something like that yeah" I mutter, I glance up to the audience and shudder looking back to the floor. Why must they all stare, why do they look so strange. Why did they pick me?

Nina tries to get me to talk for a bit longer, as she pokes and laughs and uses more big words. I can't get another word out however and finally she lets me go from the stage.

"Yer kinda useless at that whole public speaking think ain't ya" says Kasha with a kind smile "At least that bitch has shorter nails this time, she scratched me last time I was interviewed."

"I just couldn't say anything" I mutter shamefully not daring to glance at my mentor Miller, I bet he was mad.

"Don't worry about it kid" he says, a wave of relief washes over me. I expect some more words of encouragement but Nina has announced my District partner Arya onto the stage and she's getting a big cheer from the crowd before she's even opened her mouth. I turn around to face the stage where I see her stood up next to her chair her short red dress showing off her long lean legs and large breasts.

Kasha laughs "I can just see the jealously running through Nina's veins."

"You look beautiful my darling" croons Nina at the same moment, Arya laughs.

"I feel rather foolish, I'm much more used to practical clothing, I mean look at these heels." She smiles and sits down on her chair, lifting a foot to show off her high heels and probably giving the front row a good view of her underwear. I didn't think she was going for the sexy tribute thing I think as she and Nina begin to chat about all the good looking men in the capitol, beside me Kasha groans.

"I told her to talk about her family" she rants "I told her didn't I Miller!"

"Since when do tributes ever listen?" Miller sighs. But I don't think Kasha is listening as she stares intently out at the stage. I focus on Nina and Ayra on the stage, I've always seen my District partner as a more quiet and thoughtful type but I guess she's going for a different approach here in the capitol.

"Oh my gosh I know right" Ayra screams from the stage "I've never heard that about him. I'd bet he's a party animal." I have no idea who she's talking about.

"Oh he's an animal alright" Nina screams as the audience fall about laughing.

"I'd love to experience a capitol party" Ayra says "But I'm off to the arena tomorrow and I may not come back"

"Never say never" Nina replies "Now I should probably ask you how you plan on winning" she says with a smirk.

"I have a few ideas" she replies

"You're not going to share them are you" Nina says, with a playful shove to Ayra's knee.

"I'm not no" she replies "but I can talk about my family if we still have time."

Nina looks at an imaginary watch on her wrist, "We sure do" she replies with a smile.

"Well first I want to say hello to my four siblings"

"Four! Oh my, your parents were busy" Nina chuckles

"Yh they _were_" she almost growls before turning back on her charm "So yeah, there all younger than me, Dee is a laugh, she always knows just what to say to cheer me up. Diane is the thoughtful type, she's always got her head in a book and something interesting to say. Then there's the boys Seth and Ed, Seth is such a little prankster and always has a plan in his head, Ed's only little but he's such a big lad, so strong too." She grins and Nina smiles at her holding her hand for a second "I'm going to win for each and every one of them" she finishes.

"That's what I meant" Kasha sighs as the audience cheer and clap again

"At least she's ended with that" Miller adds "she could have ended with the bimbo stuff."

"Didn't ask your opinion did I" Kasha snaps, "You take the boy away I want to plan with MY tribute"

Miller doesn't respond just grabs my shoulder and leads me away from the stage, telling me about how I should avoid the bloodbath in the morning. As if that weren't already the plan.

* * *

_A/N: Chey's lyrics are taken from Just a Game by Birdy from the Songs From District 12 and Beyond album and edited by me._


	21. Interviews Districts 10, 11 & 12

**Clarisse Longhorn's POV: **

As the girl from District Nine steps off the stage and my district partner steps onto it, I find myself beginning to panic. I'm next and I know there all going to want to know about Daphne, but should I tell them? I mean sure the capitol audience all seem pretty open and probably wouldn't say a word but how is Daphne going to face another day back home if I out her. Or maybe everyone already knows, maybe she's been inundated with questions, why would that strange girl mention you? Didn't you used to be friends? But you haven't spoken in years.

I try to focus my brain away from my messed up thoughts up onto the stage where Falco is muttering some strange words and intellectual thoughts that I have a feeling not a single person understands. Nina keeps trying to push him onto more standard topics such as his training strategy or family but it always comes back to bizarre thoughts of words like Karma and Precepts, I think what he's trying to say is that he won't kill anyone but is obviously too afraid to say it outright. After a few more minutes of this back and forth which seem to drag out into hours as I stand waiting, Falco is sent from the stage and I'm being called into the limelight.

"Clarisse, it's wonderful to finally meet you" Nina tells me as she leads me to my seat and I can see that she has this fake smile between her unnaturally large lips. My hands begin to shake as I sit down and all plans to act intimidating fade away in a moment, I guess I'm not as good of an actress as I originally thought.

"It's nice to meet you too Nina" I smile nervously "Kinda nerve wracking though" I try not to act too nervous, they can smell fear.

"I bet it is for a girl like yourself" she smiles; what does she mean by that? "Tell me where did you get those muscles Clarisse?" she asks leaning over and squeezing my arm.

I laugh nervously, pulling my arm from her grip. What give her the right to touch me like that "Well I've been working on the ranches for years now and I"

"An unusual job for a girl" she says, interrupting me and I get the feeling that she really doesn't like me though I don't know why, the audience laugh at her comment. I fold my arms and lean towards the crowd.

"Not necessarily" I reply defensively, though I can't think of a single other girl who does what I do. Maybe there are more out there, working on family ranches, Ten is a big place after all.

"Fair enough" Nina smiles, "Now Clarisse what I think most people want to know is. Who is the mysterious Daphne?"

There it is I think the big question, maybe she already knows, maybe they all do, maybe the capitol aren't as free thinking as I originally thought. I am being sent to my death for a couple of rebellions that happened over a hundred years ago, before even my parents were born. I laugh nervously;

"I promised her I wouldn't talk about it"

"So she came to see you then? After the reaping?"

"Yeah she did" I reply, that much was true "we've been friends for years and we're chatting about the games the night before the reaping." Half true, how could I explain to them really, how she came to find me after that party and bared her soul to me. How I accepted her apology and her love. "We made the usual promises friends do on the eve of the reaping and then after I was reaped she came to say goodbye" That final rushed kiss that we shared and the look in her eyes as the peacekeepers dragged us apart forever. I reach my hand to my eye and find myself crying. Not exactly the macho, blunt talking, warrior girl image I had planned to go for.

"Some friendships are enough to make you fight harder" Nina tells me, she even has a look of sincerity in her eyes; maybe somehow I've banished the rumours, for her at least.

"And I'm a fighter" I tell her, unfolding my arms and looking straight into the eyes of a few of the closest audience members. "I'm going to use my whip to take down the competition. Just like I use it to control my cattle; I'll use it to win the games." I state bluntly. "Then I'll come home stinking rich and give my family somewhere new to live and never have to work with the cows again." Then me and Daphne can be left alone in peace, because who would dare confront a Hunger Games Victor about who she chooses to love. The audience are clapping and cheering now as Nina announces my name again and I'm shown off the stage.

"Interesting tactic" Talon tells me "I would have skipped the soppy stuff though; no-one cares about your BFF forever."

"You used forever twice there" Falco says

Talon glares at him "What you mean?"

"Nothing" Falco says backing away; I look at my mentor Kennedy expecting something helpful.

"You did brilliantly Libya" she says with a smile "You're mother would be so proud" I sigh, she's lost it again, thinking I'm her dead granddaughter. Talon grabs Falco and mine's shoulders and begins to lead us to the elevator back to our room "Just don't lose" he growls "I'd quite like a year or two off".

* * *

**Calypso West's POV:**

As sweet little Durian climbs onto the stage I find my mind turning to home, thinking about how my mother is managing without me and whether Fitch has kept his word and is caring for her. Really I should be focussing on the here and now and how I'm going to be memorable and interesting without ... well without telling the truth. I'm scared that just by sitting on that chair in front of all those people that this mask I've created will slip away. I feel I've always been quite a truthful person. A well behaved one too, I'll always do as I'm told even if I know it's the wrong thing to do, morally.

"Of course I love my big sister" Durian says from up on the stage "I'll love her forever and I know she'll love me back" I smile, he's a sweet kid, doesn't deserve to be here. I do of course, I've had time to make my mistakes and now I'm here to pay for them.

"So you never fight?" Nina asks him

"Never" comes the reply in a bright happy voice and I hear the audience 'aww' at the sweetness. He continues to chatter on about his daily life, walking to the fields to harvest crops, playing with his friends.

"You know when it comes to the arena Durian, you'll have to fight." Nina tells him after he says yet again that he hardly ever gets into fights with friends for any reason at all. Durian doesn't reply, but I assume he shrugs or something as Nina moves on to wishing him the best of luck in the games.

Then before I know it I can feel a pair of strong hands guiding me up onto the stage, where I step out into the blinding light and shouts of the crowd. Nina leads me to my seat and I perch cautiously on the edge of the seat, feeling ready to run at any moment.

"So Calypso, tell us about yourself, your family, any boyfriends" she smirks at me, my heart is beating faster than it ever has before, ever after that first drugs run through the shacks of District Eleven. Then I had Fitch by my side, holding me tight and telling me how wonderful I'd been.

I take a deep breath "I live with my Mom" I tell her "she's kinda ill so I look after her a lot of the time, with a little help from my boyfriend"

"Ooo a boyfriend" Nina says with a girlish giggle "Tell us all about him" she asks, obviously not at all interested in my ill mother.

Of course this was going to end up being about Fitch it was always about Fitch. Not for the first time my mind glances to the idea of betraying him, of telling them all our dirty little secret. But what would that mean for me? Would they sympathise with my plight, do as I'm told or pay the price, or would I been seen as an accomplice and punished accordingly. They could really hurt me in the games if they chose to and by keeping my mouth shut I could even make it out of there.

"He's a cool guy" I respond eventually "He's always there for me with guidance and he helped me through tough patches with mom." A spiel of lies flows easily from my mouth as I nervously rub my left hand over my right arm and keep a calm smile on my lips.

"What do you think he'd say if her were here today?" she asks

"He'd tell me to stay strong and to do everything in my power to make it through."

"What do you think you have in your power?" she asks, not un-kindly but the thought does make my stomach turn. What do I have that the others don't, what makes me special?

"Well I can be sneaky and quick" I respond thinking of the time I hid on a roof to avoid a peacekeeper patrol. "I like to climb too so I can get out of the way of danger" I add remembering the look on the head trainer's face as I scrambled up that rope, he'd looked pretty impressed then and I did get a good score.

"That's good to know" Nina smiles, "So tell me what have you enjoyed most about being here in the capitol?"

"Just everything" I say with a smile "I love meeting all the people and seeing the sights, I wish I never had to leave."

I give her the perfect segue to tell me that I can win the games as she announces my name and district and I'm shown off the stage. I sigh in relief as my microphone is disconnected and look to my mentors for guidance, neither of them look up to give any, not that Cane would say anything anyway so we walk in silence back to our rooms.

* * *

**Choke Harefield's POV:**

My head held high I march onto the stage listening to the crowd go wild, at this point I suppose they'll be bored of the weaker tributes and looking forward to my interview. Quintus told me that the capitol see's me as a contender for these games and that my good looks will get me sponsorship. But he is concerned that my middling score may let me down so I need to play it down here tonight, let people think I'm hiding some hidden skill.

"It's amazing to be here" I tell Nina after she's greeted me and shown me my seat "Around all you good looking people" I wink at a particularly gruesome thing in the front row and she feigns a faint.

"Well it's certainly refreshing to see a tribute such as yourself from Twelve" Nina says, stroking my leg "Such strength" she flirts as she squeezes my knee.

"Why thank you Nina" I smile, unsure where to take the conversation from her.

Nina of course knows exactly what to say next as she asks me about my training and how I acquired such a physique "Was it down the mines my dear?" she asks making the mines seem like a terminal disease.

"I tended to work on my muscles above ground" I tell her with a slight chuckle "using weights and other equipment that I have on hand."

"You didn't get the best of scores" she tells me and I chuckle;

"Let me cut you off there" I say with a wide grin "Maybe I didn't want the best score out there, maybe I was hiding something. Something rather large." I raise my eyebrows seductively and enjoy the feminine screams coming from the crowd.

"Oh my" gasps Nina wafting her face with her hand "You sure know how to get a girl in a bother."

"It's a gift" I smile relaxing in the chair and spreading my legs, I think the audience are loving me right now as they won't stop screaming. Nina regains her composure;

"Now Choke, I really must know how are you going to win the games? You know you can't flirt your way to victory" she asks, sounding legitimately concerned for me. Maybe I'm her favourite I think with a feeling of power, maybe what I say now could mean I'll get the sponsorships and I can win the games.

"That is a shame" I respond to her flirt comment "But I have knowledge of weapons and I've been a fighter my whole life. I'm ready to go out there and win this thing!"

The crowd go wild again as Nina announces my name and district and after taking a bow and blowing a few kisses to the wealthier looking members of the crowd I step down to where my mentors are waiting.

"Not bad" Quintus tells me "I think they liked you"

"I know they liked me" I smirk "I think you may have a replacement soon old man" I add with a grin.

"What a good attitude to have" smiles Primrose, looking out to where my fellow tribute is being greeted by Nina.

Quinn doesn't look impressed as Nina gushes about her near perfect score and asks about her training.

"I just get angry" she growls

Nina chuckles nervously, "Anger is not the best attitude to have going into the games" she tells Quinn; "You need to have more than that."

"What else is there?" Quinn scoffs.

Nina smiles and looks to the audience quickly, I can see she's a little worried now, probably wanted her last tribute to be the star of the show, a District Twelve girl with a score of 10.

"Tell me about your family Quinn" Nina asks, desperately hoping to save this interview.

Quinn mutters something about her mom but doesn't elaborate causing Nina to pry more. I lose focus on the interview as Quinn begins to insult the audience. To the side of me Primrose sighs and I look towards her "Doesn't matter that she's a goner" I tell her "You still have me"

"Such a waste" she sighs.

Eventually Nina lets Quinn go, with a smattering of applause from the crowd. She continues to talk to the crowd, reminding them of the more exciting tributes and as she mentions the "Sensual Choke" I can't help but grin.

"Don't look so happy" Quinn says "You'll be dead soon enough" I scowl at her in response. I and Quinn haven't exactly got on since we reached the capitol. She pretty much put all the blame on me for the whole being reaped thing, and to be honest I did wonder why she was chosen, surely there were more like me who could have been reaped. Unless I look at her features, her sharp nose and square jaw, very similar to most of the peacekeepers in Twelve.

"What you gawping at" Quinn snaps

"Who's your father?" I ask her,

"None of your business" she responds

"So a peacekeeper then" I guess.

"Probably" she says "But I don't like to think about it." And with that she stomps off towards the elevator where our mentors have already headed.

I look around myself where the crew are tiding up after another successful interview session and ponder for a moment how easy it would be for me to walk out of here. Oh yeah, Impossible I think, glancing at a far corner where two peacekeepers stand talking.

"Choke" comes a call "I was hoping to catch up with you"

"Miss Ricci" I smile as I turn to face out host, who had just bounded from the stage "I was just heading back to my room."

"You ready for tomorrow?" she ask "truly"

"As ready as I'll ever be" I tell her

"Good." She pauses for a moment and glances around her "I want to see you" she tells me "tonight"

"Meet me on the roof" I say and she frowns in response

"How?"

"There's a ladder from the District Twelve suite" I tell her "and it should be simple for you to get up there"

She nods "of course, midnight" she says.

* * *

_A/N: One more chapter I think, then onto the games. Sorry this one is so delayed, its a long story that begins with the tree in our front garden being cut down and ending with a job interview._


	22. The Night Before the Games

THE NIGHT BEFORE THE GAMES:

**2300HRS - Aden Hanran's POV:**

Outside the windows of the training centre the party is in full swing, ordinarily it would be expected that I'd be out there joining in. Drumming up support for District Six at the biker bars and classic car clubs around the capitol, but Savera and Char have gone out without me, neither of them saying a word to assume I would join them. Here in my son's bedroom, the light's are all out and I am shrouded in darkness. Reaching out I take Coley's hand and hold it tight, he's sleeping now and the doctors assure me that he'll wake up good and early tomorrow ready for the games.

Ready for the games.

How can my child ever be ready, he may have my blood in his veins but he's no victor. I need to face the fact that this is goodbye and it kills me.

**0000 HRS - Nina Ricci's POV:**

"Nina where are you going" cries Thrace Masters "it's barely midnight", she's gripping two glasses of wine in her hands and holds one out to me.

"I have to visit family" I say "Sorry" I grab my coat and say a general farewell to the whole party before I slip out of the front door of her apartment, alone I travel down to the pavement and catch a cab to the tribute centre.

"You're heading to work late Miss Ricci" the cab driver comments "I thought you wouldn't be needed after the interviews."

"You thought wrong" I answer and we travel the rest of the way in silence, I pay the man and jump out into the empty street. After he's disappeared around the corner and the street is empty I make my way around the back of the building. Away from the bright lights and glass walls of reception is the small Avox entrance, beside the large trash bins and in darkness.

My pass would work here, it works on all doors in case of emergencies, but I can't have people knowing I was here this late at night. It doesn't take long for the door to open though and a young male Avox holding a garbage bag steps out and looks at me funny. He of course doesn't say a word as I step past him and into the underbelly of the training centre. The vast kitchen is full of Avoxes silently working as I step into it, all washing plates or cooking more food ready to feed 24 excited tributes and their mentors in the morning but work stops as I make my way through the room. The silent army of slaves moves out of my way as I stride through the large kitchen. Fighting the urge to make some kind of comment about them not telling a soul about my visit I leave the judgemental eyes of the kitchen and step into the dark corridor beyond.

I move quickly into the service elevator and press the button that would take me to the roof. As I fly upwards I check my make up in the metal boxes reflective sides and fiddle with my hair. The elevator comes to a stop and for a moment I'm hit with the enormity of what I'm about to do.

I'm visiting a tribute on the night before the games in order to, in order to what?

My train of thought is interrupted as I step into the light and behold Choke before me, his hair is ruffled now. His smart suit has been replaced by some silken boxers and he stands in a small garden a slightly shocked look on his face.

"You came" the sultry voice of the boy, no man before me speaks. "I thought..." he looks away, as if he were ashamed.

"You thought I wouldn't come"

"You shouldn't be here. I could get into so much trouble" he steps away "This was stupid, I didn't even think, why me?"

I shake my head "I don't know, I've never had this" I pause considering my word carefully "connection" I choose "with a tribute before."

"So I'm your first midnight lesion"

I smile "that's a big word for an outer district boy"

"I'm not just a pretty face."

"I can see that" I tell him "You don't deserve to be here, there would be a place for a boy with your talent in the capitol."

"There still could be. I've heard the rumours about your more popular victors."

I chuckle and in a swift motion I unclip my corset top and it along with the rest of my short dress drops to the floor, revealing little beneath it.

"Prove to me that you want this" I tell him "and I'll get you your victory."

He smiles "As you wish"

**0200 HRS - Laércio Migon's POV:**

Sleep didn't come easily to me in that last night before the games, of course Chey hadn't fallen asleep till later on either, choosing to spend her last night in the capitol beside me. I watch her sleeping form beside me and can't help but begin to cry.

She opens her eyes slowly and moves her hand up to my face, "shhh" she sooths "Don't cry"

"I don't want to lose you" I whisper "I can't lose you"

"I can't lose you either" she replies "But that's why you volunteered isn't it, so we could die together."

"Yes" I admit, to her and myself "I know neither of us can win this thing."

"So we'll die together and it'll be beautiful and tragic and the audience will weep for us, they will weep for our lost young love."

"We shall be like the lovers in a song." I whisper

"There will be songs sung about us for years to come" she replies as she kisses me on the nose "Songs of the doomed lovers from District Eight."

**0400 HRS - Fuse Zapa's POV:**

My mind is telling me that I need to sleep now, that I need to prepare my body for the adrenaline that will pump through it tomorrow. But sleep won't come; fear has got the better of me.

**0600 HRS - Price Platinum's POV:**

I wish my mother was here, I wish I could tell her about the turmoil in my mind in the early morning before the games, how terrified yet excited I am. I wake up hours before I should but just lay there in my lush sheets, a boy could get used to this.

**0700 HRS - Titus Mason's POV:**

I rip into Amethyst's chest with my bare hands and dive into the bloody mess, one swift movement and I grab her heart and rip it from her chest. A cannon sounds yet I continue to feel the beating heart in my hand, thump, thump, thump.

"I did it" I call to the sky "I won"

I jolt awake to the sound of a buzzing alarm; I'm not the victor yet. But soon and I can't wait to feel the blood of my competitors on my hands as I tear the life from them.

**0800 HRS - Falco Takahi's POV:**

"Falco" I hear my name being called by an irritated Talon "Falco, you need to eat before today."

I keep my eyes scrunched shut, wanting to enjoy the last few moments of comfort I'll ever have.

"Falco, wake up" he orders pulling the sheets from my bed.

My eyes fling open and I look my mentor in the eyes.

"You ready boy" he asks

I nod in response "Yes" I say calmly "I'm ready to die now"

"Drama queen" Talon mutters as he leaves me alone in my room, "Games start at ten" he tells me from the doorway "and you need to eat" If only he knew.


	23. Day One of the Games

DAY ONE OF THE GAMES:

**Syrio Flower's POV:**

I take my place in the Gamemakers room, and after greeting my fellow Gamemakers with my usual pep talk about this being the 'Best Games Ever' begin to stride around the 3D model that I can use to control every aspect of my beautiful arena. It's a perfect circle, in the centre is the rusting cornucopia surrounded by 24 plates where the tributes are beginning to rise and take in their surroundings.

Directly surrounding the cornucopia are twelve metal sheds, spread out along a cross roads of cracked streets. Some of them are empty, some of them not. Surrounding those sheds are more sheds, which are in turn surrounded by a third circle. After this circle is a large open space of grass land filled with holes and mounds, perfect for tripping any running tribute. The final layer of my arena was a circle of forest land where my pack of mutated dogs had made a home for themselves.

As each tribute rises into the arena their life signals are picked up by the sensors spread around them. These signals are sent to a large board above the model showing each of their faces lit up; once they die the lights will go out, showing me instantly which tributes have fallen. As the final tribute rises into place the landmines are primed and the countdown begins.

60 seconds.

This is usually the point where tributes begin to make their alliances and for the millionth time since I announce my rule change my stomach drops in a nervous flutter. What if I made the wrong call, what if it all falls apart, what am I going to do with those who disobey? Okay so the last part wasn't the biggest of my worries, I had a good system in place.

40 seconds.

I take a quick moment to check each tribute is dressed appropriately for the arena and am happy with the design that Gamemaker Nona had come up with. Each tribute wears a pair of black trousers made from a heavy material and many pockets, a thin lightweight t-shirt, light jacket and heavier waterproof. Pretty standard fair but designed with that lightly worn effect that I felt perfectly matched the sparse and broken arena.

30 seconds to go.

The tributes are taking in their surroundings, Durian, Quinn and the pair from eight have turned to face away from the cornucopia. All looking in a different direction, yet they seem unsure, I suspect at least one of them will take their chances with the bloodbath. Rather than hoping they pick the right shed.

20 seconds.

The boy from Ten catches my attention, Falco, he has that look in his eye, that look all Gamemakers fear. He's looking at the land mines with determination and bouncing on the balls of his feet. His eyes flicker around the tributes that stand around him, all of them looking intently at the pile of weapons flowing out of the cornucopia.

"Don't do it boy" I beg out loud gaining the attention of the Gamemaker closest to me.

"You think he's going to jump sir?" she asks

I don't reply but pause for a few more seconds, preparing for the blast.

10 seconds.

Falco takes a deep breath and leaps from his plate. The shock waves shatter through the arena as the ground explodes. Shrapnel flies into the air, as do pieces of the boy from Ten, a large shard or metal flies up and strides the girl for Five in the forehead, she collapses down and on my screen her life light turns off as does Falco's. The gasps around the room echo those that must be flying around the capitol, you can usually pick out the jumpers early but that just came from nowhere.

Two dead and the games haven't even started yet.

The girl from Five, Viola, never even had the chance to fight.

I don't have time to consider this dramatic move as the buzzer sounds and the rest of the tributes jump from their plates. In the chaos that follows the pair from eight are the first to disappear into two separate sheds, followed quickly by several of the other tributes, some manage to grab weapons or packs, but most don't bother.

Titus is splattered in Falco's blood, yet runs straight into the cornucopia's mouth and grabs the first weapon, a wide bladed machete type sword. He instantly goes for the tribute closest to him; the boy from District Nine. Buck grabs the closest weapon to himself, a large mace, which he swings at Titus' head. Titus ducks out of the way and in one swift movement thrusts the machete in his hand into Buck's heart killing him instantly, up on my screen Buck Grant's light goes out. With a grin Titus beats his own chest with an almighty roar, "Next" he cries out turning to look for a second tribute to kill. Around him other tributes like Bianca from six who were looking like they might be ready to fight scatter. No-one wants to die by Titus' hand just yet.

Titus moves quickly on to find his next opponent the small girl from District Three who has managed to grab a rucksack in the chaos, she notices him advancing to late and doesn't try to fight him, choosing instead to run. She doesn't make it far though as Titus easily catches up with her and grabs her by her long hair. He throws her to the floor and without hesitation kills her, in the same way to which he dispatched Buck. Pexey Bones' light goes out. Titus looks around again and see's what I can see that Amethyst is nowhere to be seen, having obviously already headed to the sheds, without even bothering to grab any supplies he marches towards the sheds.

At the other side of the cornucopia the large and apparently handsome boy from District Twelve has also got his hands on a weapon, not a pick axe like I'd expect him to go for but a smaller sword. He comes face to face with Price from One and the two begin to spar, I'd have expected this to be a quick fight and would have assumed the boy from One would be the obvious victor. But Choke is putting his all into this, hacking and slashing at his opponent, with no obvious skill. The two spar for a while, causing such a show that Monique pauses from grabbing a rucksack to watch, a fatal error as a knife thrown by Alex strikes her in the back, it doesn't kill her but she collapses over, screaming in pain and Alex steps over to her and pulls the knife out. Without a word the apparently not so sweet tribute young from One slices into Monique's neck in several precise spots causing the girl to begin to choke on her own blood.

As I turn back to watch Price and Choke continue to spar, Monique Steel's light goes out. Price seems weakened now as Choke had managed to get a few lucky shots of his sword on the boys arms and legs. "Alex help" Price calls out, but the young girl just laughs.

"No alliances stupid" she shouts as she grabs a pack and runs into the sheds where most of the other tributes have also fled into.

Noticing that he is somehow still alive and at the cornucopia Fuse collects up a couple of large packs and with a cheeky little wave to the two still duelling boys also vanishes into the sheds.

"You're not going to win this" Price tells Choke, as the two of them step over Pexey's still body and continue to spar "I'm from District One."

"And I'm from Twelve" Choke replies "Don't you think we deserve a win"

"Ha" Price laughs "You don't deserve wins, you earn them. With sweat and blood"

"Well then" Choke replies "I'd better do that then."

He charges at Price who jumps out of the way and trips him to the floor, spinning around he slices his sword into Chokes arm, who screams in pain but manages to fling his legs up and kick them solidly into Price's lower regions causing the boy to jump backwards. As he does so he lets go of the sword in chokes arm giving Choke a moment to pull the sword out in a swift movement, before he cries out in pain and anger and thrusts it into Price's chest.

There is a pause as Price looks down and see's his own weapon protruding from his body.

"No" he gasps as he falls to his knees "I can't die, I was going to win, for my District for my Mother" these are his final words, as he falls to the side and with his eyes still open wide in shock. Price Platinum's light goes out.

"Fire the cannons" I order and Six cannons sound,

"I beat him" Choke gasps in shock as he collects his blood stained swords as well as a large pack of supplies. He shuffles with them into the cornucopia and begins to rummage through his haul as champion of the cornucopia. At this point the hovercraft moves in to remove the fallen, well as much as they could of Falco who was blown to pieces by the land mines. That couldn't have been a painless way to go.

"He was stupid that boy" the Gamemaker next to me comments as she spots I'm watching where a claw is grabbing the remains of one of Falco's legs from his plate. "Said he didn't want to kill anyone then killed himself and Viola. A foolish move."

"I've got a parachute request" calls Atticus from over the other side of the room.

"So soon" I comment as I walk over to join him "who for?"

"Choke" he says "Its medical equipment for his arm"

"Allow it" I say as the parachute floats down to the cornucopia where Choke grabs it greedily and begins to apply the paste onto his arm, instantly sealing the deep wound.

"He has some rich friends" Atticus comments as we watch the relief wash over his face.

"Indeed, keep me informed of his sponsorship amounts" I ask

"Yes sir"

In the centre of the room, my map is showing that most of the tributes are moving further apart now, travelling through the arena at pretty quick speeds, I notice that Colten Hanran is the first to reach the surrounding woods and has begun to clamber up a particularly leafy tree. A shock to me as the last I'd heard about the boy was that he's collapsed after the interviews.

Most of the other tributes however are keeping close to the maze of metal sheds, no doubt looking for weapons or supplies. Inside we had hidden a few weapons and it appeared that the boy from District Eight had found one, a small delicate sword. He moves carefully to the building next to his and runs into the boy from Five.

"Please don't" begs Baelfire from the centre off the empty room, holding up his hands in surrender.

"I need to save Chey" Laércio tells the shivering boy as he steps towards him holding out his sword "If it's not already too late." I consult my screens to see that Chey is still in one piece, she's hiding behind some barrels shaking but alive.

Laércio has charged at the other boy now who runs in the opposite direction. But Baelfire isn't paying attention and the door he runs into is locked.

"You wouldn't really" he says, his eyes wide open with fear. A tense moment passes and Laércio drops his sword and shakes his head.

"I can't" he says "I want to die clean, so I'll be reunited with her on the other side."

"I can kill you both" Baelfire suggests "give you something to do it quickly and painlessly"

Laércio frowns "Where can you find such a thing in here."

"It'll be around" he's told, "If you let me go I'll find what I need and deliver it to you and Chey."

"Go then" Laércio says stepping to the side and letting Baelfire run from the shed.

"Sir" comments Vibia to my right "Sir was that an alliance forming, should we put the protocol in place?"

"No" I respond "we'll wait and see with that one, it could go many different ways"

**District Eleven Mentor - Willow Dash's POV:**

The clock strikes midday and as punctually as ever an Avox steps into the viewing room, leaves a plate full of sandwiches and disappears without a sound. Silence is all around me at the moment as I sit with Cane watching the screens where our tributes move around the arena.

"Well they made it through the bloodbath" I say to my fellow mentor who predictably doesn't reply, just continues to stare blankly at the screens, is he even taking it in. At least after this year I'll have a mixture of different men to accompany me to the capitol. Until my dying day, _now isn't that a happy thought._

Up on my screen I can only watch my own tributes so I have no idea what's happening around the rest of the arena. I do however have a screen informing me of the states of all the tributes who are still alive. I don't focus on it however I watch my two kids, Durian first as he makes his way carefully through a large metal shed, searching through the piles of stuff within, he's found a rusty old blunt looking knife which he's keeping a tight grip on but not much else.

I consider the arena so far, it's pretty interesting in that it feels much smaller than any I've seen in a while. Especially my large open fields where I somehow became victorious and then there's the large city where.

Where my sister died last year.

No I can't focus on that. I have to focus on the here and now.

I have to focus on Durian and Calypso.

Durian begins to hum an old District Eleven song as he digs through what appears to be a pile of rusty garbage, pulling out a small metal mug attached to a carabina and a ball of twine which he slips into his pocket.

"He's a smart kid" I comment out loud to Cane's silent form, I sigh as silence responds. Maybe it would have been better for him to die I consider. At least if Ursa were her I wouldn't have to put up with her silent staring. She'd be off somewhere else with her father, basking in the glory of her victory.

Looking away from Durian who had left his shed and is hiding behind some large wooded boxes piled up by the doorway, I watch as Calypso moves quickly between two sheds. She makes it in two quick half jumping steps and without really looking jumps into the large room which is unfortunately already occupied.

"Oh hey" says Troy of District Four as Calypso stumbles towards him.

"I don't want to fight" she says putting up her hands.

Troy frowns "So you want to die then?" he asks with a small smirk "Because I can help with that"

"What no" Calypso says backing away "I'll just keep running"

"Oh" Troy says considering that for a moment "But we need to fight"

"No" says Calypso shaking her head, she turns and runs out of the door she came in through, Troy follows her and as he steps out of the shed I can see he'd been hiding a trident behind his back. It's large and impressive and I can't believe I missed him grabbing it during the cornucopia fight. Calypso runs towards the forest that surrounds the rusting metal of the centre of the arena.

Troy throws his trident towards Calypso, but it falls meters too short of the quickly running girl. I think she might make it till a hidden dip in the ground causes one of her ankles to twist and sends her tumbling down to the floor. As she pulls herself up Troy manages to catch up with where his trident fell and with a strong yank pulls it from the muddy floor.

Calypso starts to run again, slower this time and with a limp, as she runs Troy lines himself up, and throws his trident a second time.

I screw my eyes shut as the trident flies through the air and only when I hear the cannon do I know that this time it made contact.

I throw my head into my hands and begin to weep for Calypso, my quiet sobs become louder as images of her smiling face blend with those of my sisters. I cry for a while, trying to force my mind to close down to take the pain away when I feel a slight touch on my shoulder. I pull it away, I don't want to look up now, I can't watch as they remove her lifeless body from the arena.

"No" a single word makes me look up, tears still running down my cheeks. A single word from Cane.

"What?" I ask staring at him intently still too frightened to look at the games. Did he really just speak? "What?!" I ask again more intently this time, again silence, he simply pointed to his screen. Taking a deep breath I turn around to see that the girl from District Two has just walked straight past Durian our sweet little thirteen year old tribute. I can't take it so I scrunch my eyes closed again, "you can deal with it this time" I tell Cane.

**Amethyst Swift's POV:**

I can't find Titus, he's just vanished as if into thin air. _This is just embarrassing_ I think I promised myself I would get him in the bloodbath. At least I didn't tell my mentors of my plan, so they won't be angry at me for not succeeding. I pause in the doorway of one of the metal sheds that surround the cornucopia and after checking I'm not being watched drop the medium sized but heavy pack I'm carrying on the floor.

Just as I'm getting comfortable on the gravelly floor a noise distracts me and I look up to see the young boy from District Eleven staring at me from behind some nearby boxes. I curse myself internally for not spotting him earlier and then again as I don't know what I'm going to do with him. Averting my gaze I appear interested in a point just above him where I can see the tops of the trees that surround this maze of metal sheds. I hope they don't go on for too long as I know that I'll be heading over there soon to hunt for Titus and my other competition.

But first Durian, he hasn't moved since spotting me so he probably doesn't think that I've seen him back. Keeping myself aware I begin to search through my bag giving the small boy a chance to run and save himself. I find the usual fare of rope, an empty water bottle, matches and a thin sleeping bag. But at the bottom causing all the weight that was slowing me down earlier is a tent.

_Great_ I think, _like I'm going to have time to use that_. I pull it out and dump it on the floor next to me. As I re-seal my bag and focus my mind back to Durian a loud snap fills the air, I look up and watch as a single arrow flies through the air at a tremendous speed and hits the young boy in the neck.

He screams in pain and horror as he pulls the arrow from his neck, as he does so a stream of blood flows from him and seconds later his eyes bulging wide in shock he dies.

BOOM! The cannon echoes through the arena like the seven before it and I jump to my feet looking for the tribute that shot the arrow.

I draw my sword, a simple thin blade, much like the ones I've trained my whole life with and head the direction the arrow came from keeping on my toes to dodge any further arrows. I kick open the door of a nearby shed, coming face to face with the angry girl from District Twelve, she holds a large crossbow in her hands but seems to have no more arrows.

"Do you have no honour" I shout at the girl "You killed that young boy before he even saw you."

"Only doing your job career" she snarls in return "How long were you sat there watching the boy"

"I was giving him a chance" I tell her "Like I am about to give you. Drop your long range weapon and fight me face to face."

"I don't have a sword" she replies, though she does drop the crossbow. I quickly size her up, she's taller than me, older too if only by a few months and she has a permanent scowl if memory of training serves me well. I on the other hand have been ready for this since I turned 16 and came top in my class for hand to hand combat two years in a row.

"Neither do I" I respond, dropping my weapon on the floor and stepping towards her "shall we?"

She wastes no time in charging towards me, her arms outstretched and aiming for my neck. I wait till she's almost about to clash with me before grabbing an arm and twisting it around her back. She yelps in pain and begins to struggle; usually I'd stop now, back of and give my practice opponent a chance to breathe. But not today, Holding her arm tight and keeping her still I thrust my right knee into the back of hers, she collapses on one side. I repeat the move with her other leg and bring her to her knees.

"That all you got" she laughs, though I can feel her pulsating in pain from her arm, I don't reply just pull it tighter causing her to scream.

Another pull on her arm and I hear the sound of breaking bones. Keeping my face calm I release her and push her forwards onto the ground. She stares at me and grips her arm as she shuffles backwards along the floor. I step forward two paces to catch up and look down at her pitiful form.

"Look" she gasps "Look, I didn't mean to be sneaky with that kid, just had an arrow and wanted to tryout the crossbow I found. He was a close target."

"That boy was not for your target practice" I respond, stepping onto her chest and crushing my boot into her ribcage. I grip my eyes closed as I put my weight onto the girl, knowing which spot exactly would cause her rib cage to break and puncture her heart. She's screaming now but I force a familiar song through my head and as the screaming stops and the cannon fires I realise I'm humming Panem's national anthem out loud.

At the chorus I'm joined by the music being played over the loud speakers above. Stepping outside into the twilight I watch as the faces of the fallen are projected into the sky.

Price comes first, in a somewhat shocking twist, the last time I saw him he was at the cornucopia battling the prostitute boy from Twelve. The next few aren't too shocking, weaker tributes, then the boy who jumped and Durian, his district partner and finally Quinn Siyuri the dead girl behind me, my first ever kill. With one last glance at her body I decide it looks like she's sleeping now and head outside to grab my pack.

And as the light of the capitol seal fades away I run into the forest and towards my fate.

Today's Dead: Price Platinum D1, Pexey Bones D3, Monique Steel D4, Viola Watson D5, Buck Grant D9, Falco Takahi D10, Durian Hunt D11, Calypso West D11 & Quinn Siyuri D12.

Kills: Alexandra – 1, Titus – 2, Amethyst – 1, Troy – 1, Falco – 2, Quinn – 1, Choke – 1,

_A/N: So yeah that was the (uber long) bloodbath chapter, hope you enjoyed. I have reasons for why __**most**__ of the tributes died but don't feel the need to share them right now; if you need to know why your tribute had to go so soon, send me a PM or angry review, the choice is yours :)_


	24. Day Two of the Games

DAY TWO OF THE GAMES - MORNING:

**Nina Ricci's POV:**

I fall asleep with the TV still playing in the background; I've set my viewing to Choke's feed and only allowed myself to fall asleep as he did. I was weak yesterday sending that money over to Mimi Felix with instructions to buy my boy anything he needs to keep him alive. Sure I'm allowed to sponsor and bet even as I'm not hired by the games themselves, my pay comes from the television company. But if Syrio or any of the other top Gamemakers were to discover I was trying to influence the games again I'd be in some deep water.

I barely sleep that first night of the games, waking up every few hours to watch as Choke dozes or sits watching the space around the cornucopia. Luckily no-one has come to disturb him yet, all keeping in their own sheds. As the early morning light shines through my windows I watch as the arena is flooded with fog. I slide out of my bed and shuffle through to my kitchen, sensing that I've entered the room the TV in the corner turns on and I watch as Choke wakes up and after looking around himself grabs a cereal bar from the pile of food beside him. I chose to make pancakes and grab a bottle of mix from the fridge, as I pour the mixture into the mold Choke swallows the last of his breakfast and begins to pack a bag.

As my griddle pings to serve me food and I flip my perfectly formed pancakes onto a plate and add a squirt of raspberry sauce and blob of cream. Perfection I think with a smile as I glance down at my plate, then again as I look at my screen. With one last glance towards the cornucopia Choke throws the bag he's just filled with equipment and food over his shoulders and takes a tight grip of the largest sword he could find and heads out into the sheds.

The camera hovers over the cornucopia for a moment as he disappears and I find myself getting impatient, _why isn't it still following him_. I see why soon enough as Bianca emerges from a corner and runs into the cornucopia, grabs two bags and a sword and vanishes again.

_Cute,_ I think with a smile as the camera cuts back to Choke who is making his way through the sheds and towards the forest where he was bound to come up against one of the stronger tributes. _Oh well_ I think _I wasn't doing anything of note today anyway._

* * *

**Aden Hanran's POV:**

I haven't slept a wink since the games began over 24 hours ago but I don't feel the slightest bit sleepy. I have to focus on my son. Now and again Savera passes me a mug of coffee or something to eat which I throw in my mouth without looking at them. Without saying a word she sits next to me and watches. It's strange once the games finally come how helpless we are. Before the games there are tributes and interviews and sponsors to woo but once that buzzer sounds and the cannons start firing all we can do is wait.

"How did you do this alone?" I ask Savera eventually. Thinking of last year where she was forced to come alone to the capitol, to fight to save her grandchildren's lives

"I managed" she sighs "Char was a great help, she's a good escort you know."

I nod, I know Char is a great help, she's out there now discussing deals with sponsors. But that wasn't really what I was asking "How do you manage though?" I ask, watching my son perch on a wobbly looking branch. I don't think I'd ever watched him climb a tree till yesterday. Something a father should do with his child, but I was always too worried, worried my baby would fall.

"You just do" she says catching on to my meaning, she reaches out and takes my hand in her own soft fingers "It's hard and it hurts but life goes on"

I nod, though my eyes water threatening to send tears down my face as I watch Coley chew his nails as he's prone to do when nervous.

"I'd killed two by now" I say remembering my games, I whisper this thought out of shock of my own actions rather than dismissing my sons.

"I remember" Savera smiles "I remember saying to Kirk that I was sure we had another Victor here."

"You said that after we met Turbo too didn't you" I say

"Yeah" she smiles "I often get this feeling you know."

"Colten?" I ask hopefully, silence answers me. Telling me the answer I already know. I screw my fists closed digging into my palms with my nails, forcing myself to focus and clearing the dark thoughts from my mind. A technique I've used quite often around my children, keeping a smile on my face while the world around them remained dark and cruel.

"Bianca" she says after a moment, "she's one of the strongest girls we've had in a while."

"I should have trained them" I say "I should have made them both ready to fight the world, like Bianca's father did. I'm a horrible father."

"You're not" Savera scolds "You kept your family together and happy, something I never could" she sighs and lowers her head in shame. I want to reply and comfort her but right now I don't have the energy.

I keep quiet and focused on the screen showing my son. Watching and waiting for my son to die.

Hours pass and as Savera excuses herself to go get us both some food another tribute wanders underneath Coley's tree.

Aspen looks tired as he sinks to the floor, not noticing my son above. He's unarmed as far as I can tell but may be hiding something. Coley notices him too and freezes still, slowing his breathing down his eyes widen in fear.

"My baby boy" I whisper as I look over our sponsorship amounts, they have been still for a while now but do begin to trickle up again as Aspen crossed into Coley's path. _They want a show_ I think and I have a brain wave as to how to give it them.

I search through the lists of sponsor products till I find what I need and hit the send button.

* * *

**Aspen Dionne's POV:**

I feel safe lent up against this tree, I almost feel as if I'm back home, as if the nightmare of the last week was all an odd dream. But it's not of course, I'm not I'm in the arena, out in the open on the edges of the field between the sheds and the forest.

I wasn't expecting such a uniform and small arena, but after last year's extravagance I guess they wanted to go back to basics. It was making my plan to hide harder however and I just hoped that I wouldn't be seen as I rested beneath this tree. As I look towards the metal sheds I spot a flash of a tribute moving between them and poise myself to run. They move on though and I'm alone again.

My stomach grumbles and I sigh, since being reaped I've had all the food I could lay my hands on, as well as weapons training and advice. But I still wasn't ready for this; I don't think I ever could be. Yet again I was also sure I wouldn't last the bloodbath and then the night, so I've already got further than I ever thought I would.

I've probably shocked everyone back home too, I can just picture my classmates and teacher huddled around the TV watching me and Charity as we try to survive.

Charity, I hadn't thought about her since the buzzer sounded choosing instead to run and find water, something I had luckily found in a nearby stream. But Charity wasn't on the projection last night, neither have there been any cannons today so she must still be out there. I wonder how she's acting now she's in the arena, would she have snapped out her strangeness or would she be wandering and talking to her sister the Raven.

As I'm pondering this there is the familiar sound of a parachute landing near me, I jump to my feet and look for it wondering what Rowan or Ivy have got me. I'm a bit hungry but not starving and I drank earlier. That could only mean one thing, it's a weapon. I'm not as alone as I thought I was.

I jump up and look up at the tree, something I probably should have done before I sat down.

No, I think It can't be. Above me sat Coley Hanran, the very kid Charity told me would end my life.

"No this can't be" I mutter to myself, "I'm not letting this happen."

* * *

**Colten Hanran's POV:**

There is a slight bleeping noise as a parachute floats down and settles beside me, I stare in shock at it, Dad must have sent it but what is it? Hands shaking I take my eyes of the boy bellow me and reach over to grab it. Bellow me the boy has jumped to his feet and started looking round for the source of the noise, soon he would spot me.

"Hey there" comes the shout from below as I grip onto the small case bellow the parachute "That's mine"

I look at the small metal rectangle with the District Six seal engraved on it and shake my head.

"It's from my dad" I say with a smile as I open it, inside sits a rather expensive looking gift. A dart gun, laid out neatly next to three darts. "Oh" I mutter.

The boy bellow me just keeps circling my tree, not saying a word. Before I know it he finds a knot and begins to climb. He must be from Seven as he moves quickly as if he's spent his whole life doing this. I grab a dart and fumbling with my finger try to quickly load it into the gun.

"No" I gasp as it slips from my grasp and goes tumbling down to the grass bellow.

I grab my second and try again, this time it clicks into place and I move it up to my lips. Without thinking too hard I aim at the boy and blow.

My single dart flies out and hits the boy on his right hand, he yelps in pain and lets go of the tree slipping slightly. But he doesn't fall though, his eyes watering up I watch him pull the dart from his hand with his teeth, drop it to the floor and continue to climb.

_It's pretty impressive what we can do when we are in pain and focused like that_ I think as I take my final dart.

My hands are steady as I load it, aim it again and fire.

This time it hits his temple pretty hard and with a scream of pain he lets go of the tree and tumbles to the floor.

I can hear him screaming as I look down. He's rolling around on the floor and gripping his leg, from which seems to be protruding a shattered bone. I swallow down the bile in my throat and pocketing my new dart gun scramble quickly down the tree. My feet back on solid ground I look over where the boy is still screaming and almost freeze.

I did that.

I caused him to fall and break his leg.

But I can't be the one to kill him.

Can I?

"No please no" screams the boy in pain "It hurts so so much"

Forcing myself to move I lean over and pull the dart from his head, blood begins to squirt out and hits my leg. I jump back as he continues to scream and can't help but stare at the blood pouring out of his body.

No matter if I run now or slice of his head with a weapon I don't have. I've killed him.

He's going to die and it's my fault.

Backing away I grab the two other darts that fell to the floor and run deeper into the forest.

* * *

**Clarisse Longhorn's POV:**

I feel drawn towards the screams as I hear them coming from the edge of the forest. I had been alone in my metal shed since the bloodbath and wasn't planning on moving till I had to. Slowly and carefully I move from my hiding place and step out onto the expanse of grass that surrounds the sheds.

On the far side bellow a large tree a boy lies screaming in pain. Well he does for a moment until going silent; his brain has probably closed down now even if his heart still beats. It happened to a cow I slaughtered once I just kept on stamping its hoof and kicking around even though its cries of pain had stopped.

_It won't take long now_ I think watching the boy and as expected a few minutes later his cannon echoes around the arena.

I make a rash decision and head towards the body, I've never seen a dead human before and it's not that bad really. If I shut out the broken bone and pool of blood, he just looks like he's fallen asleep, all be it with an expression of shock on his face. I search him quickly for supplies but he doesn't have anything, not sure what else to do with him I step back and watch the hover craft take him away, they can't remove the blood of course so that remains. I stare at it for a moment, then up at the tree. Looks like he fell.

But wasn't he the kid from Seven, Ash or Aspen I think, surely he should be able to climb a tree. Was this scene I had stumbled upon not an accident, if so his killer could still be around. Realising I was being stupid for staying still so long I moved towards the sheds again. Maybe tonight I would have another go at getting some stuff from the cornucopia.

* * *

**Syrio Flowers POV:**

The afternoon of the second day was much slower than the morning as the capitol processed the fact that little Coley Hanran was able to kill another tribute. The young boys odds improved as did his sponsorship amounts and in the early evening as the boy sheltered in another tree further into the forest his father send him a meal.

My careers were less interesting today, Alex stuck to a smallish shed in the second circle from the cornucopia sorting through the bags she'd collected the day before and struggling to fit all she needed into the one. Titus and Amethyst prowled the forests with Titus almost coming across Troy who was doing the same. Luckily for him however the large beast was distracted by a rabbit and disappeared off to catch that instead. Also moving around the circle of trees was Arya, Choke and Charity, with Charity having gotten closest to the edge of the arena.

In the circle of sheds closest to the cornucopia were the other tributes, all spread about and keeping still. Except for Baelfire who was staying outside the sheds and was working his way through the barrels and bins that were stacked outside of them. I'd leave them like that for now I decide as I leave the main room and head back to my quarters. But tomorrow I knew my audience would want some action and I was very ready to give it to them.

* * *

Today's Dead: Aspen Dionne D7.

Kills: Alexandra – 1, Titus – 2, Amethyst – 1, Troy – 1, Colten – 1, Falco – 2, Quinn – 1, Choke – 1.

_A/N: Happy Sunday (would you look at that my chapter is actually up on the right day) Hope you enjoyed this slightly shorter chapter and are looking forward to what Syrio has in store for tomorrow. Sorry we had to lose you Aspen but Charity did warn you what would happen._


	25. Day Three of the Games - Part One

DAY THREE OF THE GAMES – PART ONE:

**Baelfire Jones' POV:**

Keeping my senses focused I slip from the small metal shack that I slept in last night. I have one task only today, this task is made up of several parts however and part one is to get myself to the cornucopia. I've been watching it for a while now and it's been a while since anyone else has gone for supplies.

It's now or never I decide as I sprint from the relative safety of the sheds and out into the open. Reaching the mouth of the cornucopia I can see it's been mostly picked over. The only things left were the larger crates and tents that are usually provided to sustain the career pack as well as some large packs and a few loose items which are mostly useless.

_Five things_ I think as I begin to rummage though the pile of stuff that's remaining, the first one is easy enough, there are plenty of empty water bottles lying around. Everyone who wanted one has probably already got one. I grab two of them and throw them into an empty sack.

Item number two is a small knife and luckily I find one of these too, laid under an upturned crate. It's a bit muddy so I wipe it on my trouser leg before sliding it into my belt. Item three is matches; it takes me emptying the contents of three rucksacks to find some hidden in the bottom of a rather large bag. There are also some water purifiers in that bag so I take them too before moving onto item four. Food.

I rummage through the piles of stuff and collect all the food I can, apples, some biscuits and even a few of those energy bars you usually see the careers scoffing on TV. Finally item five; I don't have a particular item in mind here just the usage. I pick up a large and flat sheet of metal and debate taking it till I decide it's too heavy, I'm soon glad I kept searching as I finally find what I'm looking for, a shallow rectangular cooking pan. Perfect.

Feeling happy with my haul I look outside of the cornucopia and see that mercifully it is still clear. Swinging my sack full of goodies over my shoulder I run back towards the sheds not to the one I came from however but the one next to it, this one I had noted contained two of the things I needed, water and,

"Who is it?" comes the call of Laércio, he steps into the light and I see has got his hands on the bow from the cornucopia he pulls it tense and aims it at me.

I step towards him dropping my bag and putting my hands in the air, all the confidence I was lacking in out last encounter comes flooding into me.

"I'm here to help you and your lover die" I tell him.

* * *

**Syrio Flowers POV:**

"Sir" calls Vibia from my left "Sir we have an issue here"

I turn away from setting up this afternoons little surprise and look towards her, "What is it?" I ask irritably. Why can't I just have an incident free game, for one year at least?

Vibia taps the screen with her long red nails, done in exactly the same way as Nina's during the interviews I notice, why that irritable woman had to be such a trendsetter I'll never know. On the screen I watch as Baelfire sits next to Laércio and pulls a large leaf from his pockets before emptying the bag of stuff he'd just collected from the cornucopia.

"I need firewood" he tells the older boy who nods and goes to the edge of the room and begins to pull apart a large empty crate.

"You sure it won't hurt" he asks Baelfire who nods

"Almost positive though obviously I've never tried it before"

"Then how do you know it'll work?" he's asked as Laércio sets up a small fire and lights the dry wood easily, I debate sending in a rain storm tomorrow to dampen a few spirits.

"I know chemicals" Baelfire responds "I've been training my whole life to work developing medicines for the capitol we do more than watch the power plants all day. I know people in medicine and all sorts of other scientific fields."

"Do you make the mutts too?" Laércio asks "I've always wondered"

"Nope" Baelfire replies "I've always wondered who does that too"

"Tell me more about Five" Laércio says and Baelfire goes into a speech about his district sharing things that even I didn't know about District Five and the sensitive scientific experiments they do there, I suddenly panic.

"Is this broadcasting" I ask loudly over to the other side of the room where the editors are sending out the main feeds to the capitol.

"No sir" comes the loud reply of Fronto "We've got Alexandria on the main feed and Choke on the secondary one, anyone watching the two boys will be getting silence."

"Good" I respond turning back to the two of them and wondering what to do next, was it an alliance if one of them was trying to kill the other?

"He's making poison isn't he?" Otho asks stepping towards me; I hadn't heard him come into the room.

"It seems that way" I reply, as Baelfire begins to boil water from one of the taps we'd provided in the sheds over the small fire Laércio had been building. We watch as he rips up a large rhubarb leaf into the mixture and watches as the sap within it seeps out, after the leaves have wilted he pulls out the pieces that remain leaving a milky coloured mixture.

"Is that it?" asks Laércio bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet, Baelfire shakes his head. From around his neck he pulls a chain with a small cloudy looking stone with a twist he removes the stone from the chain, before slipping the chain back on. He removes the tin with the hot mixture in from the fire and slips the knife from his belt using it to begin to scratch the stone.

"What is it?" I ask the room, silence responds. The tributes tokens are always vetted so it can't be coated in poison, it must be a natural element.

Eventually a powder falls from the stone into the water, fizzing and dissolving as it does so.

"Put them on the main feed" I order Fronto, who switches the feeds, the whole of Panem is watching now.

"Done" says Baelfire eventually, as he stirs his concoction with his knife "drink this and you'll be dead within days."

"Days!" exclaims Laércio "You said it'd be instant!"

"I never said that" Baelfire protests as Laércio grabs his bow and arrow, aiming it at the younger boy.

"Then I'll kill you anyway" Laércio yells "I can't have my Chey suffering any longer."

"Fine then" responds Baelfire with a sigh, he slides a hand into his pocket he pulls out a fistful of berries.

"Nightlock?" asks Laércio "but I thought.." he begins, probably about to mention how we usually sweep the arena for nightlock now, don't need any more martyrs. This of course is why this District Eight thing must be carefully monitored.

"No it's Ruti" Baelfire explains quickly, squishing the small red berry into the mixture, its juice drips in like drops of blood. "I was saving them to trick the careers; they'll kill you pretty quickly, and mixed with the rhubarb and soda should make a pretty quick death."

"Soda?" asks Otho, "Is that what the stone was made from?"

"Must be" I reply as Baelfire grabs a flask and pours the mixture into it, seals the lid and passses it over to Laércio "Good luck" he says.

Laércio grabs it from his hand and carrying it and his bow and arrows, leaves the small shed "If this doesn't kill me I'll be back for you" he warns cruelly before disappearing further into the arena.

"Interesting" comments Otho as Fronto keeps the main feed on Baelfire who looks at his potion ingredients around him before filling the second flask he had with clean water and taking a drink.

I reach up and scratch my head "Well that was a new one for me"

"We can't have those kids becoming martyrs" Otho tells me echoing my own previous thoughts.

I nod "but how?"

"You said you had something to show me" he says, reminding me of what I was doing before Vibia distracted me.

"Over here" I say walking back over to my station, on the screen I'd brought up images of the remaining fourteen tributes and their positions in the arena.

Otho looks at it, "what are these" he points to the small red dots.

"Mutts" I respond "I've got full control of them this year, just like the snakes we had chase Mirriam."

"So you can set them on any tribute" he comments "impressive, you use the trackers I presume"

"Of course" I respond "watch this" I look on the map and pick a couple of mutts that are in the same area as Titus, a couple of clicks and up on the screen two dog mutts with bared fangs jump out at the District Two tribute, with his large machete he slices the head of the first with relative ease but the second gets a good bite onto his leg before he dispatches it also.

The whole incident took less than five minutes but our viewing figures spiked tremendously as every screen in the capitol watched the fight.

"Switch to District Seven" Otho orders Fronto who turns the main feed onto watch as Charity Greenwood stares up into the branches of a tree.

"She's been like that for hours" Lalla informs us from the other side of the room "I think she's talking to that Raven character"

"That was her dead sister right" Otho clarifies and Lalla nods

"It's all in her head you know" she tells us

"Shall we see if the Mutts distract her for her fantasies" Otho laughs as we begin to move two mutts to attack her. I gesture for the cannon to be prepared.

"Sir" interrupts Vibia again.

"What" I bark in response, as I select the Mutts closest to Charity. Couldn't she tell I was working here?

"The tributes from two have found each other"

* * *

_A/N: I'm gonna be mean and leave you there. I have a busy couple of weeks coming up so please don't be too mad if the next bit takes too long to appear. _


End file.
